As we age, our bodies change and some of those
changes impact our ability and desire to eat. Much of the time,
the change happens so gradually, the person isn’t even aware of
it. This can be the case with loose or decayed teeth or
ill-fitting dentures. It starts with chewing food in a different
area of the mouth to compensate for the pain in the problem area
and then can progress to not eating at all because it is more
trouble than it is worth. This process can happen so slowly that
the person does not even realize why they stopped eating. To
help a person with mouth sensitivities, help them get softer
fruits and vegetables or chop them finely. Meats can be
difficult to chew. Choose soft protein foods such as fish,
beans, eggs, peanut butter and cottage cheese.
Another problem that people are generally
unaware of is that we lose sensitivity of taste and smell as we
age. One side of this double-edged sword is the inability to
smell to stimulate the appetite and the other side is the
inability to enjoy the taste of the food they decide to consume.
Salt is a flavor enhancer but many of the elderly population
need to avoid salt. Use herbs and spices to enhance the flavors
of foods.
Many people lose the ability to make lactase,
the enzyme that helps us digest lactose or the sugar in milk.
When you can’t digest the milk, it ferments in the stomach
causing gas, bloating, diarrhea and pain. There are low lactose
products on the market. Often, people with lactose intolerance
can tolerate one glass of milk per day without upset. Cheese and
yogurt can be a good choice because they have less lactose than
milk.
The intestinal tract slows down resulting in
constipation. Things that can help with this are exercise and
getting enough fiber. Fiber should be increased slowly to let
the body adjust. Remember that when you increase fiber, fluid
intake needs to be increased. The fluid intake increase may be a
difficult one because elderly people often lose their
sensitivity to thirst. Filling a pitcher with 6-8 cups of water
(or favorite beverage) and making sure it is empty at the end of
the day can help with this.
Eating is a social activity in our society.
Planning meals with your elderly parent or assuring they are
eating with other people can help. Sometimes a pet is enough
company to positively impact eating habits. The physical
activity of walking that pet can also be an appetite stimulant!
Last update:
Monday, August 14, 2006
