The Importance of Meeting Nutritional Needs as You Age: How Senior Home Care Can Help

As you age, your nutritional needs change. Age related changes can affect how a body processes food, which in turn influences your dietary requirements and appetite. The following are some of these important changes:

Digestive System: As you age, your body produces less of the fluids necessary for proper digestion, making food absorption more difficult. This is why B6 and B12 supplements, as well as folic acid are critical for seniors.

Appetite: As you age, you may be prescribed different medications. These medications may affect your appetite.

Metabolism: Age slows down your metabolism. Seniors also tend to slow down exercise a routine, which slows down metabolism further. The fewer calories burned, the less calorie intake is required. Seniors are encouraged to consume food that is as nutrient-rich as possible and maintain a good level of exercise.

Emotional Health: Last but not least, elderly loved ones face many different situations, including physical issues, loss of friends, spouse, job, and these changes may result in depression, which in turn reduces appetite.

Many diseases prevalent in the elderly population can be prevented by senior care and proper nutrition. Nutritional intervention can also prevent hospitalization—malnutrition is one of the major reasons seniors suffer health problems.

Senior care and senior home care experts can help prepare small, healthy meals for your loved one at home. If you're loved one is unable to shop for and prepare healthy food for him or her regularly, senior care providers can provide the necessary assistance, as well as help with other activities of daily living. Although in some cases, individuals require specific solutions to dietary needs, there are certain general guidelines that should be considered by all.

Senior Care Nutritional Guidelines:

• Have your loved one drink plenty of water.
• Stick to healthy fats.
• Include whole grains in your diet.
• Include foods high in fiber.
• Include high amounts of calcium.
• Ensure your loved one has a proper intake of B12.

Although getting older is inevitable, it's possible to slow down the aging process and improve the quality of life of senior folks. Senior care and senior home care providers can help this process by promoting healthy eating. Remember to schedule regular physical exams and consultations for your loved one as well.

National Institute of Aging's Daily Suggestions for seniors:

• Fruit: 1.5-2.5 cups
• Meat and Beans: 5-7 ounces
• Grain: 5-10 ounces
• Vegetables: 2-3.5 cups
• Oil: 6 teaspoons

DASH Diet Daily Requirements: (Heart Healthy Plan for seniors with High Blood Pressure)

• Grains: 7-8 oz
• Meat and Beans: 6 ounces or less of meat, fish, or chicken – 4-5 servings of seeds, nuts, and/or dried beans per week.
• Vegetables: 2-2.5 cups
• Fruit: 2-2.5 cups
• Oil: 2 teaspoons

Senior care and senior home are providers can help your loved one by preparing nutritional meals on a regular basis, taking specialty concerns into account, including medical problems and diabetes. Senior care allows aging loved ones to remain safely in their homes as long as possible—caregivers visit as needed and take care of everyday services, including cleaning, running errands, cleaning and stocking the fridge, and meal preparation. These small steps can ease the burden on your loved one and make a big difference in their quality of life.

 

About the Author

Erica R. is a freelance writer for Visiting Angels, the nation's leading, network of non-medical, private duty home care agencies providing senior care, senior home care, personal care, respite care and companion care to help the elderly and adults continue to live in their homes across America. Visit the Visiting Angels website to find out more information on elder care.

Medical Alert Bracelets Are Jewelry That Could Save Your life

You'll currently see quite a few distinct developments regarding healthcare technology. You can find several breakthroughs in drugs, medical tools as well as medical techniques. You may see more and more people who are beginning to be really confident in the medical community because several patients are successfully cared for by hospitals by means of different practices and medications. Most of this success is due to an innovative medical alert system.

The technology associated with these types of medical alert systems were introduced in order to help people obtain immediate aid even with no methods for communications like phones. This is great for those who have encountered hard accidents and may be unable to make a phone call. This alert system can get assistance for people with simply a press on the button.

Among the many questions many consider when they think about innovative medical alert systems is how the exact method really works. The whole alert system is composed of three distinct elements. It has the primary panic button, the base device and the people who will take the alert call and send out the proper aid. These three parts will work in unison so that you can get the support you need when it's needed.

First, you have got the panic button. This panic button needs to be taken with you continuously since mishaps may happen anytime. It might be a little bit bothersome to take a button along due to chances of it being lost so medical alert makers added it to different accessories that individuals generally wear like necklaces and bracelets.

If you are ever involved in an accident, you may press the panic button on your medical alert systems and it'll transmit a signal to the base unit, that is set up in your own home. The device is attached to the telephone jack and will make the phone call for you when you are not able to take action alone. It will connect an individual to the rescue center, an essential element of the overall alert system.

Once the rescue center responds to the call, the medical alert base unit will allow you to speak with the person who answered the call since it is a two-way speaker. You can then describe the nature of the accident and then they can help you by selecting the best healthcare facilities and then getting in touch with them so you can get assistance as quickly as possible.

The best thing about modern medical alert systems is the fact that it'll do more than simply bring relief crews to your incident location. A rescue center may also get in touch with your loved ones or any other contact person in order to notify them about the incident. Once you register for a program like this it should ask you for the identify of several individuals that they may contact for any accidents. This way the most important people in your life are able to find out what happen to you.

This is the way medical alert systems might be right for you. In general, this kind of structured program will help you obtain aid for incidents and can be a great investment for people who are worried about their health or want to be safe in case of an accident. This system can ensure that the right people are informed and that you will get help for any injuries you've sustained.

About the Author

If you are looking for medical alert bracelets or elder care there is plenty of information out there on these devices. Knowing the right information on these devices can make all the differences in the world.