Nutrition
Getting the Right Nutrients | Recommended Daily Diet | Food Pyramid | Plenty of Water | Healthy Snacks | A Nice Meal | Add More Flavor to Food | Groceries

Getting the Right Nutrients.

	Victoria A. Warren-Mears is a dietician at OHSU.

Older people often eat less, which makes getting enough of the right nutrients a challenge.

• Food may not be very appealing, because of taste and smell changes. Illness and medications can affect taste too.
• Poor teeth or dentures may make chewing difficult.
• Shopping and cooking may be difficult because of arthritis, walking problems, or lack of transportation.
• Loneliness and depression may add to disinterest and loss of appetite.

Also, the body may not use the nutrients it does get. For example, to process calcium we need vitamin D, which is provided by sunlight. Many elders get little exposure to the sun and may not get enough vitamin D.

Even so, your elder still needs the proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals in food, and plenty of water.

Links to other sites with information on this topic:

Good Nutrition: It’s A Way of Life is a good article from the National Institute on Aging.

Skill Builder: Eating and Nutrition. This ElderCare Skill Builder™ is intended to give the eldercaregiver background information on special skills that caregivers may need on a daily basis. While these guides are primarily intended for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s Disease, they can be used for any frail or dependent elderly person. When caring for an elderly loved one, always treat them as an adult, with dignity and respect.

MEDLINEplus: Nutrition for Seniors.