It is believed that as we get older, we get to a certain age that we behave like children when it comes to certain human activities. Thus, elderly people need special care in terms of nutrition and, sometimes, feeding.
To ensure their physical and mental health, these seniors need a different balance of nutrients.
“We should also remember that many of them, who are on medications, could have challenges with their food which could interfere with the medications,” explained Mabel Idiagbonya, a nutritionist.
She also revealed that their taste buds lose the ability to detect flavours in food; as a result, food starts to lose its flavour and taste bland. “Salty and sweet are the first tastes to go, followed by sour and bitter,” she added.
As their immune systems weaken, they become more vulnerable to germs and bacteria found in food, thus there is need to provide healthy, nutritious meals that they will enjoy.
Planning
Generally, elderly people’s food usually consists of low fat and less sugar, but there are some others who have additional dietary restrictions based on health conditions. Thus, in planning their meal, it is necessary to follow the doctor’s recommendations.
If the aged person is someone who enjoyed cooking in his/her younger days, you can stimulate the appetite by involving him/her in planning the meal.
Remember that variety is the spice of life. Avoid serving the same meal too frequently, which can lead to a lack of interest in eating.
Due to diminishing immune system, we need to be extra careful with their food; thaw frozen meat under cold running water or in the microwave, cook immediately and thoroughly.
Shola Omogbemi, a caregiver, also advises that hands must properly washed before and after cooking, while kitchen surfaces should be well-sanitised and dried out.
Cooking
Many of our elderly people have fewer or no teeth left in their mouths which will make chewing difficult. Also, Idiagbonya revealed that there are some who experience reduced saliva.
It is therefore advisable to serve them foods that do not require much chewing as well as hydrating by nature.
“Pap features mostly in the menu I prepare, but I ensure it is served with soup or stew that has fish or mushroom in place of meat or, if we are to use meat, it will be offal that had been thoroughly cooked,” explained Omogbemi.
Seniors who are on heart-healthy diet need not abstain completely from fats. It is just that the unhealthy fats should be replaced with good fats that will help to raise “good” cholesterol and protect against heart disease.
Olive oil should be used in place of vegetable oil. Some other sources of good fats are avocado, salmon, nuts and soya milk.
“I sometimes get nostalgic when preparing meal for my 80-year-old mother who stays with me. I stimulate her appetite by preparing a particular local delicacy (ogo lale) which I remember she never missed to cook when we were younger,” revealed Tosan Omogbehin, a caterer.
“For seniors who suffer from memory loss, we usually advise caregivers to prepare familiar meals which can bring back memories of happy times and also help them stay connected to their past.”
You can add flavour to their food without using salt. The way to go is fresh herbs, spices, onions, lemon, garlic and ginger.
Fruits and veggies
It could be a big task getting some elderly person to eat fruits or vegetables. However, you can sneak them into their meals through homemade fruit juices or tasty and easy to drink smoothies.
