Planning Meals for the Elderly

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Your body undergoes a lot of physiological and psychological changes with age. The organs function below an optimal level, the metabolic rate slows down and there is a general decline if motor functions and mental capacity.

Elderly people are particularly prone to developing poor eating habits, and neglecting to care for their own nutritional wellbeing. Many find it too cumbersome to prepare food for themselves. Individuals living alone might feel that it's too burdensome to cook for a single person, while others find it difficult to chew protein rich foods such as meats and end up eating a carbohydrate rich diet instead. Elderly people with low-income rely more on starchy foods, denying themselves nutrients that are essential for maintaining health.

If you are caring for an elderly relative or friend you have a tremendous responsibility toward their health. Nutrition is cornerstone to healthy living and it is no different for the elderly, though it is more difficult to achieve. Keep the following in mind when preparing food for elderly people:

• Prepare food that is easy to chew.
• Meals should be free of bones, particularly fish bones.
• Serve lots of soft steamed vegetables
• Meat is a good source of proteins but difficult to chew. If you are serving meat make sure that it is cut into small pieces.
• Source protein from milk. Milk is also rich in calcium, which maintains healthy bones.
• Serve small portions.
• Avoid heavily processed foods with low nutritive value and high sodium.

As the body ages, it loses muscle, which leads to a lower metabolic rate. The body is no longer able to process food or burn calories at the same speed at it did in young age. That translates into lesser calorie intake. This is why it is crucial that each calorie has nutritional value. If they don't want to eat as much, what they do eat needs to provide the optimal nutrition.

Activity level is an important factor in determining appropriate portions and a balanced diet. Elderly people who exercise regularly are able to maintain lean body mass and may require more nutrition than those who cannot. 

Even small reductions in food intake, less exposure to sunlight and malabsorption may manifest as vitamin deficiency. As the body ages, it finds it difficult to replace essential minerals such as calcium, which is crucial for maintaining bone density especially in women. Even a healthy elderly person may need vitamin and mineral supplements.

Constipation is a major problem, particularly for the elderly. It can lead to formation of pouches in the walls of the colon and other gastrointestinal problems. Enough fiber content will make sure that there is adequate bulk in the diet, and should resolve this issue.

As a caregiver it is crucial that you serve food tailored to the unique needs of an elderly person. Also check with his or her doctor to see if there are any additional requirements/restrictions based on their individual situation or medications that they take. If you're unsure about how to meet these needs, a dietitian can help set up a diet chart, and provide support.