Healthy Eating

Eating well can give your clients more energy, keep them from getting sick and help them recover more quickly from illness. And, it will help them get control of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and obesity!

ROADBLOCKS TO HEALTHY EATING

• Dulling of taste and smell.
• Loss of vision.
• Constipation.
• Decreased saliva production.
• Decreased appetite.
• Difficult or painful swallowing.
• Nausea.

CONSEQUENCES OF POOR NUTRITION

• Unintentional weight loss (when clients lose weight without trying).  This can lead to muscle wasting, inability to fight off common illness, depression and higher rates of disease complications.
• Dehydration.  Some signs of dehydration include weight loss; decreased urine output; dry mouth; sticky, sunken eyes; and a lack of tears while crying. 

WAYS TO HELP YOUR CLIENTS EAT HEALTHY MEALS

• Clients with eating or nutritional problems may benefit from keeping a Food Diary.  A Food Diary is a daily list of all the foods offered and eaten by the client.
• Consult the Modified Food Pyramid for Older Adults which addresses the specific needs of the body as it ages.
• Brush up on reading food labels, including serving size, calories, fats, cholesterol, protein, fiber, carbohydrates and other vitamin amounts.  Take the time to read labels while grocery shopping. It may keep you from putting these cakes into your cart in the first place!
• Encourage your clients to “smart snack” on healthy foods such as fresh fruit, yogurt, baby carrots or a handful of nuts.
• Make sure you understand any special diet your client may need.  These diets include low fat diet, high fiber diet, low sodium diet, diabetic diet and modified consistency orders (like a soft or liquid diet).
• Be sure to assess your client’s ability to chew and swallow during each meal.  Notify the nurse as soon as you notice a problem.