Generally, older adults are at risk of inadequate nutrition. When this happens, malnutrition can easily persist if the senior gets used to his or her recognized eating routine even though the food he or she consumes does not have enough nutritional value. Malnutrition is a condition that results from eating a diet that doesn’t provide the nutrients needed by the body. It may either be nutrient deficient or excesses and imbalances of nutrient and energy intake. But among older adults, the first type is more common.
Seniors and their caregivers must always know how to detect malnutrition. When you notice that you have been easily predisposed to infections or illnesses for quite some time, that may be a sign of malnutrition. Muscle weakness, decreasing bone mass, and poor wound healing are other signs of malnutrition as well. Sometimes, these things are hard to detect for some seniors, and that is why senior care services that help plan and prepare healthy meals and snacks are a contributes a lot to meet your nutrition needs.
Some tips you can follow in monitoring your nutrition to prevent malnutrition are:
- Checking your weight regularly and keeping a weekly record of it.
- Eating with your family or caregiver always so that they can help you with what kinds of foods to eat.
- Keeping track of your medication.
- Planning your meals with the help of an elderly caregiver in Alabama—if you live in the southern part of the United States.
- Doing daily exercise.
Preventing malnutrition as a senior can be tricky, especially if you live alone and don’t exactly know where to start. If you need some help, call Helping Hearts Senior Care, your reliable home care in Birmingham, Alabama.