Nutrition for the Elderly

Communication Level 2.

Introduction
The main purpose of this report is to highlight the varied nutritional requirements of more mature people both male and female. Most people believe that as you get older your nutritional requirements per day will lessen and you will need to eat less food, this is however a myth because the body always needs energy to repair cells etc. Nutritional requirements will drop but only slightly and the elderly may need to get their nutrients in more energy dense foods.

The daily nutritional requirements for a male aged 19-49yrs is 2550 Kcal, for a male aged 65-74yrs the requirement is 2330 Kcal, this is a lowering of requirement of only 220 Kcal. For a female aged 19-49yrs the requirement is 1940 Kcal, and a female aged 65-74yrs has the daily requirement of 1900 Kcal, this is a lowering of requirement of only 40 Kcal therefore the lowering requirement is minimal. For people aged over 75yrs the requirement lowers by a further 330 Kcal for males and 100 Kcal for females.

All food groups contain some protein and the daily requirement of protein for males over 50yrs is 53.3g and for a female is 46.5g.
Vitamin C helps to boost the immune system and is found in citrus fruits and potatoes.
The main source of vitamin D is sunlight, it is also found in fatty foods, oily fish and dairy products, it is used to absorb calcium and to prevent rickets.
Calcium is found in milk, cheese and yogurts; it helps to prevent osteoporosis and builds strong bones and teeth.
Women over the age of 19yrs need nearly twice as much iron in their diets than do males, the male requirement is 8.7mg per day and the female requirement is 14.8mg per day, iron helps to provide a healthy blood supply and is found in green vegetables such as broccoli, red meat and liver are high in iron content.

The daily nutritional targets are to have five servings of fruit and vegetables, bread rice potatoes or pasta should be served at every meal, you should have three servings of milk and dairy products, meat fish eggs or beans should be served twice a day and foods high in fat or sugar content should be eaten in moderation.

Foods high in fibre promote the need for more fluids. An older person needs to drink two litres of fluid per day as does everyone else, and they should drink more in hot conditions. However as people age they do not feel as thirsty and therefore do not drink so encouragement is necessary. Fluid is also found in food products such as fruit, vegetables, soup and jelly, these all count towards the required two litres per day.

There are many factors that influence a persons choice of food and what they actually eat, these include:- their knowledge, the information available and the skills the individual has to make an informed choice. Culture and religion, family members, peers and advertising can have a great impact on a person’s choice. An individual’s income and their facilities to prepare meals can also influence their choices. The likes and dislikes of the individual are important considerations along with the ethics, moral and political beliefs of the individual.

For the elderly meals give structure to the day, it gives them something to look forward to and often their food choices can be one of the few things they feel they have control over.

It is important to be aware of the signs of someone being at risk of malnutrition, even overweight people can be malnourished if they are not having a balanced diet. Signs and symptoms of someone nutritionally at risk include weight loss, dementia and wounds not healing; you can recognise these signs by observation and asking questions. There are many different causes of malnutrition and these include:- diarrhoea or constipation, difficulty chewing and swallowing, pain, medication, nausea or vomiting, anxiety depression or dementia and bereavement. By using food charts and nutritional screening forms (see attached a + b), on admission to the facility and again at regular intervals you can identify a potential risk before it becomes dangerous. If someone is viewed to be at risk of malnutrition there are steps that can be taken to reduce the risk, full fat products, cream and milk powder can be added to meals to maker them more energy dense.

Conclusion
The nutritional needs of each resident should be viewed individually as each person can have slightly different needs or requirements. Always take steps to encourage a balanced diet and use nutritional screening tools to identify any one at risk. Food should always be enjoyable and individual choices respected. If someone is recognised as being at nutritional risk it is best to offer foods little and often, ensure that mealtimes are a pleasurable experience free from stress. Consider using supplements or food fortification and ensure that documentation is accurate. Try to include more foods that the individual enjoys in their diet. By encouraging a balanced diet you lessen the risk of pressure sores for those residents less mobile.