Around 5.2 million older adults in America face malnutrition due to food insecurity or hunger. That’s roughly 1 in 15 seniors.
However, an even greater number of seniors also face malnutrition despite having easy access to nutritious food. Improving the health of the elderly is an integral part of senior care.
However, many of these efforts are focused on employing more carers – this isn’t always necessary. Nutrition counseling for seniors can help them in various ways.
Read on to find out more.
Increased Quality of Life
Good health is one of the main factors contributing to the quality of life of the elderly, and malnutrition is one of the main detrimental factors to health.
By embarking on nutrition counseling, your loved ones can learn a few extra tips on remaining healthy in their old age. Even if home health services are visiting, they’ll be able to explain what they like to eat and how they like it cooked.
Prolonged Independence
No one wants to spend their last years with no independence. With nutrition counseling, they can take their health into their own hands and remain independent for as long as possible.
There are options for everyone. You can find in-person or online nutrition counseling. And, there are specialist classes for typical diets from across the globe.
Nutrition Re-Education
What we know about nutrition has changed drastically in the last fifty years. The fat-free product era is over, and now we understand more about the importance of a balanced diet.
This means some seniors still believe in nutrition science that has been disproven.
They may cook themselves dinners they believe to be nutritious based on old guidelines that we now know are outdated.
Courses like those run at pacegno.org focus on re-educating seniors using the latest evidence-based nutrition guidance.
Promotes Food Passion
Finally, nutrition counseling can get seniors interested in cooking and eating again if they’ve lost passion for it. Appetite naturally declines in the later years, and many seniors lose weight because they forget to eat enough.
In fact, many home health care services deliver calorie-dense snacks to help them keep weight on.
Instead, you can help your loved one revive their love of cooking and eating by giving them a refresher on nutrition and food technology.
Whether they cook for themselves or have assistance from home senior care services, you can ensure that they get the nutrition they need (in the way that they want).
Undeniable Benefits of Nutrition Counseling for Seniors
It isn’t just seniors who can benefit from nutrition counseling, but it can increase their quality of life enormously. If you’ve got an older adult in your life, help them retain their vitality by getting nutrition education resources for them.
You can help them retain independence, enjoy their food, and stay in excellent health!
Did you find this article helpful? If so, check out our other posts for all things health, lifestyle, and healthy aging.
