Putting It All On The Table - Senior Nutrition

By 2030, Americans over the age of 65 will reach 71 million, approximately 20% of our population. Further, almost 90% of Americans over the age of 65 have one or more degenerative disorders. These conditions were once thought to be a natural consequence of aging but there is now evidence that many conditions like heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes can be either prevented or lessened by ongoing good nutrition and exercise.

There are increasing obstacles to proper nutrition as we age: Chronic illness, recent hospitalizations, depression, mal absorption, medications, dental problems, diminished taste and smell, restricted diets, limited income, loneliness and isolation. However, it is important to realize that without the proper mix of fuel and nutrients, symptoms of malnutrition can appear and increase the symptoms and debilitation of any of the above listed conditions. In essence it is a vicious cycle that can only be broken by a commitment to learn and apply better eating habits.

Malnutrition can be seen as increased forgetfulness, dehydration, frailty, delayed wound healing and decreased muscle mass that can lead to falls and fractures. Indirectly, malnutrition could be a significant factor in many hospital stays and lengthy rehabilitations. Additionally, it can make worse any chronic conditions.

Some seniors may be at a healthy or even heavy weight, but still experience malnutrition. Because metabolism can decline by as much as 30% in people over 50, it is important to eat fewer calories. With fewer calories, we run the risk of fewer nutrients, so the foods must be packed with nutrients. A good start is to limit overly processed high-carb, high-fat, nutrient deficient foods and increasing nutrient rich foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains breads and pastas and to add supplement drinks if necessary. A multivitamin will also go a long way to maintain your stores if your nutrient intake varies day to day.

To help a senior that you suspect of being malnourished, approach the situation delicately. As mentioned above there may be many reasons to not eat properly and you don’t want that person to become defensive and clam up. Eat with them, observe. Is there plenty of protein, fiber and healthy fats in each meal? Are vegetables and fruit included in each meal? Are most meals cooked at home, from scratch and healthy sources? If so, then they are on their way to good nutrition. Next, find out if they are supplementing their diet with a multivitamin or nutrition shake. This can be done by placing the items in the home and periodically checking to see if they have been used. See how much they eat at every meal. A good measure for amount is the size of their fist. If it less than that, try to determine if they are eating more frequently. Many seniors cannot eat 3 large meals and choose to eat more often with smaller portions. As long as the smaller portions and snacks equal 5 a day, throughout the day, all is well.

If a senior is malnourished there are several things that you can do with and for them to encourage healthier/sufficient eating:
Enrich! Add healthy proteins and health fats, like cheese, nuts and nutbutters. Cheese can be mixed in to a wide variety of otherwise bland and calorie deficient foods. Nutbutters are great on crackers and a slice of bread, add a little fruit spread if the diet permits, to moisten and make it easier to swallow. Nuts are great for snacks. Over the day these calories can add up and they are providing rich and healthy oils for the body.

Spice it up! Add some herbs, lemon, seasonings, as tolerated and enjoyed to make the food more flavorful and enjoyable. Make sure you check sodium levels. An adult should take in no more than 1500mg per day. 

Socialize! Get them out or invite yourself over. Eating is a social behavior. We all eat much more when we are in the company of others. This has the dual benefit of providing an anticipated event and the eventual company, which can help to alleviate mild depression.

Get Moving! Exercise gets everything in the body working more efficiently. Encourage walking, biking, chair exercises, swimming, WHATEVER that is possible to do safely and comfortably. The idea is to move the body every day. Metabolism will increase, mood will lighten, appetite will increase. Again, if you are at a loss for options, contact your health care provider for resources.

Supplement! Take a daily vitamin to cover any gaps in nutrition. 

Hydrate! As we age we lose the ability to sense thirst. Aim to get 8 glasses of water per day. Other sources of water such soups, water-rich foods like melons and decaffeinated teas and coffees may be a more palatable way of getting enough fluids every day.

Call the Doctor! If you suspect depression or lack of appetite due to medications or ANY other underlying issues, call the doctor. Many times they will be able to do an overview of health and medications to discover or eliminate possible reasons for a lack of appetite.

This article is meant as general advice. It is not medical advice. I encourage anyone who suspects that they or someone they love is malnourished to see their health care practitioner as soon as possible in order to establish an individualized plan that will put you back on track to better health.

 

By: Gabriela F. Brown, CSA

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Submitted by Gabriela F. Brown, CSA and Owner of Constant Companions Home Care,www.constantcompanions.net in San Diego and S. Riverside, CA. Contact Info: gbrown@constantcompanions.net

Helping Aging Parents: Taking Charge Without Taking Over

As your parents age and need assistance with life's tasks – anything from balancing a checkbook to dealing with insurance claims – its hard to know how to take charge, without taking over. How do you help your parent, without making them feel as if they're losing their independence? How do you get the job done without condescending, or making them angry?

How many times have you found yourself "showing" someone how to do something by doing it for them? It's human nature. But while it might make sense to show by doing when you are "teaching" someone younger or less familiar with a particular topic than you are, it usually leads to anger when you do this when you are "assisting" someone with a task that he previously has been perfectly capable of handling himself.

It was probably hard enough for your mom to agree to let you help her pay her bills and balance her checkbook after your dad died. And even once she agreed, it wouldn't be surprising if she told you that she didn't know why you were insisting on helping her since she is perfectly capable of doing it herself.

The truth is that acknowledging that you need help with the business of life is really, really hard for most seniors. If they come to the point where they need your help, they are confronted with their own limitations. And those limitations won't "get better" in most cases. Deep down, your mom knows that this is the beginning of the end of her independence as she has come to know it.

So, how do you take charge without taking over?

1. Let them take the lead

If possible, do the tasks alongside your mom rather than doing it for her. While this approach might take longer than doing it yourself, you allow mom to retain some self esteem by letting her take the lead.

2. Ask what they need help with

Let your dad tell you what aspects of a particular activity he needs your help with, and if possible, try to limit your assistance to just those things, at least for now. Of course, if your dad doesn't have a realistic picture of what he can do for himself, you will need to gently find a way to help him see your perspective.

3. Be respectful

Ask permission before you just jump in. For example, when you take your parents to a doctor's appointment, don't just assume that they want you to come into the examining room with them. Instead, ask them if they'd like you to be there the whole time, or if perhaps you can just be called in toward the end of the visit to make sure that YOUR questions are answered.

4. Set up invisible safety nets

For example, if you come every Sunday and set up your mom's medications in a weekly medication management system, you can have some expectation that she will take the correct medications at the right time. But it wouldn't hurt to also have a way of checking that once or twice during the week. This might take the form of a medication management visit by a home care company or trusted friend or relative or perhaps daily medication reminder phone calls from you.

5. Ensure safety

Make a distinction between safety and everything else. When your dad's safety is on the line, you might just have to take charge by taking over. On the other hand, if you'd just prefer that something be done a certain way or at a certain time, there might be an opportunity to loosen the grip a bit.

Your job as your parent's caregiver is to keep them safe, comfortable, and happy. As long as you keep that in perspective you should have no trouble taking charge without taking over.

Sheri Samotin is a Certified Professional Daily Money Manager, Certified Professional Coach and founder of LifeBridge Solutions, a one-stop shop for family transition coaching, caregiver coaching, medical billing advocacy, money management, household transition services, and estate administration support.

My Passion for Seniors – Why the heck I do what I do!

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Most of the seniors that I come into contact with on a daily basis have such rich pasts and continue to be a huge source of inspiration, at least to me. There is great misunderstanding out there about what it is like to ‘get old’, after all ‘getting old’ is very subjective. At the age of 42, my children think I am REALLY old, but my clients think I am still quite young. Both are correct, it is a matter of perspective, isn’t it?

Let’s start with a question recently asked by a friend, “What made you decide to devote your life to seniors and their families”?  The first thing that came to mind was my earliest work experiences and how they have culminated into what is a life devoted to seniors.

At 17 years of age I was (and still am) an eternally optimistic and cheery person who loved spending time with all older people. My first job out of high school was working as a nursing aid at a convalescent center in San Diego County. I would show up for a 7a shift eager to see all of the residents. That shift was over at 3p, but almost daily someone wouldn’t come in for the 3p shift and it would be offered to me. This was great because it paid time and a half, and I was able to spend more time with the residents.  A few times the third shift, at double time, was offered and I would stay. Twenty-four hours later, I would head home feeling exhausted but satisfied that I could make a living spending time with such fascinating people.

The caregiving continued in college, working for a home care agency many weekends over the school year and during the summer months. I loved it and was good at it! After graduation and looking for a job,  I recalled something often said to me,” If you do what you love for a living then it isn’t work at all”. And so began a professional career working with seniors and their families. See Bio.

Fast forward 25 years!  I am the owner of Constant Companions Home Care in San Diego and S. Riverside, still assisting seniors to maximize their quality of life, no matter what their situation.

My passion for working with seniors continues. Why? Because, the seniors that I have met are truly amazing people! Their lives inspire me daily, and I hope to do the same for our readers through this series.

Let’s explore the histories, trials, tribulations, triumphs and current endeavors of seniors all over the world. If you know someone, including yourself, who has a wonderful story, past or present, email me at gbrown@constantcompanions.net . Together let’s celebrate our seniors, one story at a time.

Constant Companions Dementia Care

Dementia is a broad term that describes the process of a decline in cognitive abilities that interferes with activities of daily living. The most recognized and prevalent form of dementia is Alzheimer’s
Disease which accounts for 50-70 percent of all dementias. There are, however, other causes of dementia:

·       Depression

·       Vascular disorders, such as multiple strokes in the brain

·       Infections that affect the central nervous system, such as HIV dementia complex and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

·       Chronic drug/alcohol use

·       Hydrocephalus – Accumulation of fluid in the brain that can result from developmental abnormalities, infections, injury, or brain tumors

·       Degenerative neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s

See More information on Dementia 

Our 360 approach:

By the time our office receives a call to provide dementia care to a senior the family has usually been very involved for an extended period of time, providing most of the daily care. The call comes because the family is in need of support and guidance. Our 360 approach is just that, an all-encompassing circle of support for the entire family. During our extensive intake process, we identify where the home care worker can provide support for family members as well as the senior themselves.

We don’t aim to replace the family, we are there to support and only take over the duties that prevent family members from enjoying their time together, due to caregiver fatigue. If you are in need of a helping hand, call us.

“It is our mission to enrich the lives of each of our clients by providing the best in compassionate care, second only to family.”