816-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 28,1986
Good Nutrition Con Help Older Adults Mointoin Their Health
NEWARK, Del. - If health is
wealth, it pays to maintain good
eating habits - especially for older
adults. “While food alone can’t
make you healthy, eating right can
help maintain and improve your
health,” according to Dr. Sue
Snider, University of Delaware
extension food and nutrition
specialist.
“The average American con
sumes too many calories from fats
and simple sugars,” Snider says,
and she recommends that around
30 percent of daily calories come
from fats, more than 50 percent
from carbohydrates, and the
remainder from proteins. Complex
carbohydrates, such as those found
in beans, peas, nuts, seeds and
whole grain products, provide
essential nutrients in contrast to
simple carbohydrates, such as
sugar, which provide little more
than calories.
What nutritional areas should
older people pay special attention
to? One important nutrient is
calcium, which is most commonly
found in milk and milk products.
Calcium helps keep bones and
teeth strong, but many older adults
neglect this mineral. “Most adults
think that only children need milk
to make their bones strong,”
Snider says. “But if you don’t
consume enough calcium, your
body will take it from your bones,
which will then become thin and
break more easily. ’ ’
Eventually this bone-thinning
may lead to osteoporosis - or
“porous bones” - a major health
problem for older adults that can
result in serious fractures and
tooth decay.
It’s never too late to retard bone
loss, the nutrition specialist says.
At any age, increasing calcium
intake helps prevent further
thinning. Also, moderate weight
bearing exercise, such as walking,
helps keep bones strong.
Adults should consume 800 mg of
calcium a day - about the
equivalent of two glasses of milk.
But milk isn’t the only source. The
following items each contain the
approximate calcium content of
Taste and Smell Sensations Piminhh With Age
NEWARK, Del. - You’ve
prepared Grandpa’s favorite meal.
But when you sit down to eat, he
takes a bite and says, “It just
doesn’t taste like it should.” After
working so hard to please him, his
comment may seem like a slap in
the face. But before you react in
anger, consider that Grandpa may
have a reduced ability to taste
because of his age.
Debbie Amsden, University of
Delaware extension home
economist, says an elderly per
son’s declining ability to taste may
lead to conflict in family
relationships if it is misun
derstood. Because his taste buds
have changed, Grandpa is unable
to detect the flavors that he used
to.
Dr. Patricia Tanner Nelson,
extension family specialist, says,
“After the age of 50, the ability to
perceive the four taste sensations
sweet, sour, salty and bitter
declines. Most people over 65 have
lost half of this ability. By the late
3
JJt
one 8-ounce glass of milk:
• 1 ounce Swiss cheese,
• VAs ounces Cheddar cheese,
• 1% cups cooked spinach,
• 1 cup collard greens,
• 3 ounces sardines with bones.
While inexpensive calcium
supplements containing dolomite
or bone meal are available, Snider
doesn’t recommend these because
they may also contain dangerous
levels of lead or mercury. The
preferred source of calcium is
from food, which also provides
other essential nutrients.
Consumption of fluids and fiber
is another important dietary
consideration for older adults.
“Many people are unaware that
water is an essential nutrient,”
Snider says. “It helps carry waste
from the body in the form of urine
and helps keep stools soft. The
body requires more water than
thirst suggests. A good guide is to
drink six to eight glasses a day;
coffee and tea don’t count. ’ ’
Most people, including older
adults, should also increase their
fiber intake, the specialist says.
Eating more fiber in addition to
drinking more liquid helps reduce
constipation and the need for
laxatives - a common problem
among older adults. Fruits,
vegetables and whole grain breads
and cereals are good sources of
fiber.
Vitamins and minerals are a
frequent concern for older people
as well. But people who eat a wide
variety of foods in adequate
amounts rarely need supplements.
If supplements are required, be
wary of claims which suggest that
certain vitamins delay aging or
have other magical powers. Snider
also advises, “Don’t be fooled into
thinking that so-called organic or
natural vitamins are superior to
synthetic ones. The least expensive
generic brands provide the same
benefits as higher-priced natural
ones.”
Megadoses of vitamins - up to
ten times the Recommended Daily
Allowance - are also potentially
hazardous. Loss of appetite, bone
tenderness, liver enlargement or
70’s, the average person has one
sixth the taste sensitivity of a 20-
year-old. Studies indicate that
people lose the ability to taste
sweet and salty flavors first. They
can taste bitter and sour flavors
well into old age.”
Along with causing conflict in the
family, this loss can lead to
malnourishment, says Amsden.
Many people stop eating because
nothing tastes good to them.
Others eat too much while trying to
achieve a taste sensation. These
people may put excessive amounts
of sugar, salt or seasonings on
their food and ruin the flavor for a
younger person.
Bland or low-salt diets can make
food less appealing, as can poor
health, ill-fitting dentures, lack of
energy, and reluctance to prepare
meals for just one person.
To encourage eating, Amsden
says food should be prepared and
served attractively. Distinctive
and varied textures, colors and
temperatures add to the en-
other dangerous side effects can
result, especially with fat soluble
vitamins A, D, E, and K.
A critical concern for older
adults is the interaction between
drugs and nutrients, Snider says.
Sometimes medications affect the
nutritional status of an individual,
or the diet may affect the function
of a drug. Vitamins and minerals
are most likely to be affected by
medications. Mineral oil, for
example, often used as a laxative,
impairs absorption of vitamins A,
D, E, and K, while insufficient
vitamin D can impair calcium and
phosphorus absorption. Alleviating
one problem can cause another!
The best advice is to ask a
pharmacist or doctor for in
formation about the possible
nutritional effects of any
medication. Be sure to tell the
doctor or pharmacist about all
medications being taken, both
prescribed and over-the-counter.
Ask about how the drug works,
possible side effects, foods or
drinks which may adversely affect
the medication, and precautions
which should be taken while on the
medication. And always follow
instructions on medication labels.
Some general food eating
guidelines can help maintain a
healthy body:
• Cut calories. Older people need
the same nutrients they did when
they were younger. But since
they’re probably less active, they
need fewer calories. Low-nutrient,
high-calorie foods such as fats, oils
and sugars should be avoided.
Extra weight can be shed by
reducing calories and increasing
activity.
• Consume less fat and
cholesterol. Choose lean cuts of
meat, trim excess fat from meats,
and use eggs and organ meats
moderately.
• Some older people have trouble
chewing, but they can still eat well
by choosing softer foods such as
peanut butter, fish or cottage
cheese. Stews, soups or cooked
foods are both nutritious and easy
to chew. Or use a blender or food
processor to make foods more
manageable.
joyment. Portions for the elderly
can be more highly spiced. People
who chew thoroughly, and take
alternate bites of different foods,
derive more enjoyment from their
meals.
“If a person needs help to eat,
don’t mix different foods
together,” says the home
economist. “Mixing makes it
impossible to distinguish separate
flavors. Also, be sure meals are
served at a moderate temperature.
Dishes that are too cold or too hot
limit the taste. People notice
temperature first; if it is extreme,
that may be all they notice.”
In addition to loss of taste,
Nelson notes that older people
have difficulty identifying com
mon smells. Studies indicate that
the sense of smell is often the first
sensory system to decline with
age, beginning as early as the late
30s or early 40s.
Because two-thirds of the ability
to taste depends on the ability to
smell, this loss may also depress
appetities in the elderly. In ad
dition, a person may no longer be
able to smell body or household
odors that are offensive to others.
Odors warning of smoke, gas or
spoiled foods may be undetected.
Smoke alarms and pilot lights can
decrease the potential hazard that
loss of smell creates, especially for
persons living alone.
Families should understand that
it is normal for people to lose some
of the ability to taste and smell as
they grow older. So if Grandpa
says his food doesn’t taste right,
chances are it’s because of his age,
not your cooking.
Homesickness Isn’t Terminal!
Band camp, soccer camp,
church camp, 4-H camp, and scout
camp. Every family I come in
contact with seems to be getting
ready for camp. Even I’m gearing
up for our annual youth group
camping event. Some parents
rejoice when the kids finally get
packed and leave for a week or so.
Other parents are more anxious
and upset about the separation
than the kids are!
Regardless of what kind or
where the camp, homesickness is
common to every camp. The
symptoms are similar in each
case. This epidemic strikes every
year, most often at bedtime and
can last from a few minutes to all
week. It doesn’t even seem to be
limited to a certain age group... it
is just expressed differently
depending on age.
Probably 95 percent of us have
experienced homesickness at one
time or another. I remember
counting down days when I went to
church camp. I was really glad to
be there, but still there was a
nagging tug to go home and Mom’s
letters were always welcomed at
the mid-week point. I remember,
too, a recent three-week study tour
in Israel. I described my feelings
that first week as “cultural
shock”. In reality, it was probably
a mature sounding way of saying,
“I’m homesick!”
If someone in your family is
leaving for camp or just a few days
away at grandma’s, read on for
some measures you can take to
prevent it.
In general, the parents who take
an active interest in camp and
prepare their kids for a fun, full
week of activities are least likely to
get desperate letters or phone calls
from “this prison called camp.”
Discovering on the first day that
you don’t like the food, activities,
or your roommate is enough to
make anyone depressed. Perhaps
talking with the camp director or a
former camper about these points
will help to reassure your child.
h
HOMS
By Michelle S. Rodgers
Berks Extension
Home Economist
One 4-H family has a tradition
that helps to combat homesickness
with laughter. Every traveling
member of that family can expect
to find something silly tucked in his
or her suitcase after arriving at the
destination. Usually it has some
sort of significant meaning to the
traveler, but not too sentimental. A
stuffed animal, one spare sock, a
can of baked beans, or a plastic
spoon are possible silly tradition
starters. Pictures of family and
pets often succeed only in making
the traveler think about home, so
avoid these types of things.
Talk about camp in positive
ways. It is best to expect the
camper to have a terrific time
while reassuring your child that
life will go on as usual at home.
Parents sometimes try to ease the
pressure by saying, “If you get
homesick, just ca 11... We’ll come
and get you.” This effectively tells
the child that he won’t be able to
get over the homesickness by
himself, and doesn’t have to try.
That’s too easy! Phone calls and
mushy letters from home have the
same effect - a reminder of what
he’s missing.
Dealing with homesickness when
it happens is miserable for the
affected person and frustrating for
those .who try to soothe him. My
parents always vowed that the only
way to ever get over homesickness
was to stick it out to the end
never, never give in and go home.
Although I hate to say “never,”
maybe they were right after all.
I do agree that honesty is the
best policy when dealing with
homesick kids. Telling them
exactly when they will be going
home, sticking to it, and then
filling the hours with lots of ac
tivities will help to make the
gnawing thoughts of home fade
away comfortably and provide a
week of fun memories.
And on that reassuring note
I’ll pack my own bags for our
camping event. I doubt I’ll have
much of a chance to get homesick
when surrounded by 30 teens!