Written By
HealthyDoesIt Features Writer
Older age and malnourished? How can we help?
Do you know someone aged between 66 and 74? Maybe you’re in this age bracket yourself and are here to find inspiration about how to stay nutritionally balanced.
Maybe you know someone who is older, and might have some of the risk factors for nutrition? This is important, as our bodies rely on a good balance of nutrients to function at it’s best.
It’s estimated that 1.3 million ‘older’ people in the UK are malnourished, which is a state where nutrient levels are either too low, or in excess, resulting in physical changes to the body.
Add into the mix the fact that 75% of 75 year old’s in the in the UK have more than one long-term health condition, which increases risk of malnutrition and it’s easy to see why extra care is needed to make sure that those in more senior years are getting a healthy, balanced diet.
As the number of older people within our communities rises (one in four age 65 and over by 2050), health care professionals are thinking of ways to help those whose risk of malnutrition is high; those who have an underlying illness, people who find it difficult to move about, those who are in poverty.
During lockdown, many elderly people have received support with their diet, via food boxes or helpful neighbours popping in. It would be fantastic if we could continue this, and really give the senior people within our communities a chance at a well-nourished older age.
This might be popping in to see if they have essential food items, or, as studies suggest, making sure that our older neighbours and relatives aren’t feeling lonely and cut off so that they’re more likely to feel motivated to care well for themselves.