by changing the name to home-style stuffed noodles,
the senior may try and enjoy the tortellini.
The sense of taste and smell commonly diminish
with age, often adversely affecting the appetite. In addi-
tion, medications can also alter the sense of taste. A
switch in medications may help with this problem.
Food safetyis also important with regards to taste
and smell. Older persons may not be able to tell if foods
have gone bad. To counter this problem, foods can be
dated when placed in the refrigerator. If there is any
doubt on whether a food item is spoiled, it should be
thrown out.
Older people should also be careful when preparing
foods that need to be cooked thoroughly to prevent
disease. Examples of these types of food include eggs,
pork, shellfish, poultry, and hot dogs. Raw sprouts,
some deli meats, and foods that are not pasteurized
(heated sufficiently to destroy disease-causing organ-
isms) may also be unsafe.
Diseases such as arthritis and dementia can affect
the nutritional status of elderly persons. A person may
not to able to shop, cook, or even use utensils. Persons
with Alzheimer’s Disease or other types of dementia
may eat poorly or even forget to eat at all.
Dietary restrictions of fat and cholesterol are rec-
ommended in order to lower blood cholesterol levels
and the associated cardiovascular disease risks. How-
ever, there have not been any long-term drug or diet-
ary cholesterol-lowering intervention trials in healthy
persons older than 65 years. Some studies have shown
that although total cholesterol levels may be good
predictors of cardiovascular disease in middle-aged
persons, they are not good predictors for elderly per-
sons. Research has also shown that levels of high
density lipoproteins (HDL, or the ‘‘good cholesterol)
are a better predictor of risk in the elderly than low
density lipoproteins (LDL, known as the ‘‘bad’’ cho-
lesterol). When seniors reduce fat in their diets with
carbohydrates, blood triglyceride levels can increase,
which in turn results in lowering the HDL (the
‘‘good’’) cholesterol levels and in increasing the levels
of LDL (the ‘‘bad’’) cholesterol levels. Often these
simple carbohydrates that are used to replace higher
fat food choices contain less nutrients and may have
more calories, thus leading toobesityand its associ-
ated risks. Overall it is recommended that dietary
restrictions for the elderly not be overly restrictive
and that any dietary changes be addressed to specific
health problems, such as diabetes, food allergies, and
kidney problems.
Elderly people may require special diets because
of chronic medical problems. These special diets could
include a low-fat,low-cholesterol dietfor heart dis-
ease, alow-sodium dietfor high blood pressure, or a
low-calorie diet for weight reduction. However, often
it takes extra effort to adhere to these dietary needs,
and the elderly may settle for easy to prepare meals
that may not be appropriate for the specific diet
required.
Social isolation is also an obstacle to good nutri-
tion. Older persons who find themselves single after
many years of living with another person may find it
difficult to be alone at mealtimes. Depression may lead
to a lack of desire to prepare or eat meals. A study of
newly widowed people found that nearly 85% reported
a weight change during the two years following the
death of a spouse, as compared to 30% of married
subjects. The widowed group reported an average
weight loss of 7.6 pounds. Widowed women reported
that cooking was a ‘‘chore,’’ especially since there was
no one to appreciate their cooking efforts. Widowed
men may not know how to cook and may become
dependent on snacks and fast foods, thus not getting
sufficient nutrients and vitamins. Microwave ovens can
be useful by providing an easy means for cooking nutri-
tious frozen foods or foods already prepared by grocery
stores.
Family members and friends can provide assis-
tance to help seniors with nutritional needs. They can
help elderly persons take advantage of food programs
by aiding them in contacting agencies and organiza-
tions that can provide assistance and by helping them
fill out forms and paperwork. They can stop by and
make sure the person is eating, they can prepare foods
for the person, and they can join the person for meals.
An explanation of proper nutrition and how to read
food labels may also be helpful. In some cases, family
members and friends may need to help the person
move to an assisted living facility or nursing home to
ensure that the older person gets adequate nutrition.
Many elderly persons in the United States depend
only on Social Security for their income. In the United
States, the number living in poverty increased for
seniors 65 and older 3.6 million in 2005, up from 3.5
million in 2004, which is about 10% of the senior
population. An older person with limited financial
resources can minimize food costs by:
Purchasing generic or store brands of food
Purchasing low-cost foods such as dried beans and
peas, rice, and pasta, or processed foods that contain
such items
Planning menus by incorporating food items that are
on sale or use money-saving couponsSenior nutrition