Capital Health Care Network6 Reasons Seniors May Not Eat Enough

1. Problems Chewing
Poor fitting dentures, cavities or gum disease can make it difficult or painful to chew

2. Medication Side Effects
Many drugs can reduce appetite, cause nausea, or make food taste different.

3. Decrease Sense of Taste & Smell
The aging process brings a reduction in sensitivity (including a decline in the senses of smell and taste) which may compromise the ability to enjoy food.

4. Poor Mental Health
Failing memory and cognition can negatively impact dietary intake. In addition, life events associated with aging can lead to feelings of loneliness, isolation or abandonment resulting in mild or severe depression.

5. Physical Limitations
Seniors facing debilitating conditions like fibromyalgia, arthritis, vertigo (dizziness) and disability may find seemingly simple tasks, like standing long enough to cook, challenging.

6. Challenge of Eating Alone
Lack of companionship has been said to be the biggest mealtime challenge for seniors. Dining alone can magnify loneliness and feelings of depression, which in turn can suppress appetite and lead to poor eating habits. Moreover, cooking for one presents its own unique set of challenges.

Please contact us to learn how we can help!
We offer a variety of services to help our clients maintain proper nutrition. Services include skilled nursing for teaching & education and private duty services for grocery shopping, meal preparation and companionship.

A study published online in January of 2015 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine found that more than half of the elderly patients who visited an emergency room were malnourished or at risk for malnutrition.