Achieving Better Nutrition

Making the right food choices is important for leading a healthy life. Proper nutrition helps the body to generate new cells, improve the energy level and maintain normal functions. However, your nutritional needs and principles will change throughout your life. Aiming to improve the health of people with different needs, Vine Social Care Agency has come up with recommendations for better nutrition for a diverse range of patients. Get in touch today for further advice.

Nutrition for the Elderly

Nutrition for the Elderly

As we age, eating the right food and staying fit becomes more important than ever. However, with age, metabolism slows down, and the body starts behaving differently. Due to loss in muscle mass and bone density, most people become less active with age.

Most older adults tend to eat less, but the nutrient content remains essential for good health and an active lifestyle. With the right nutrients, seniors too can lead an active and independent life. With a healthy diet, older adults can also save their time and money at the doctor’s clinic.

Nutrition for the Elderly

  • Elderly people must include calcium and Vitamin D-rich food in their diet. These two nutrients help to maintain bone health and improve mobility.

  • With age, the body fails to absorb enough vitamin B12 naturally. Apart from food sources with Vitamin B12, one must include supplements rich in Vitamin B12.

  • It is important to include dietary fibre to reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cardiac diseases and diabetes.

  • Limit foods with low nutrients and high energy like sweetened drinks, bakery foods, and so on.

  • Limit sodium intake and consume a sufficient amount of potassium to minimize the risk of high blood pressure.

Nutrition for Cancer Patients

Nutrition for Cancer Patients

Cancer patients go through radiation treatments and chemotherapy that weaken the body and slow down cell growth. Over time, these treatments not only kill the cancer cells but also damage the healthy tissues around. In such a situation, when the body is weak, proper nutrients provide more energy, maintain a healthy body weight, and help the patient to respond well to the treatment. However, due to decreased appetite and nausea, it becomes challenging for cancer fighters to eat healthily.

A proper nutrition plan can help people with cancer get all the important nutrients like vitamins, proteins and minerals. Proper nutrients help the body tissues to heal fast. When it comes to food, cancer patients need to keep the following in mind:

Nutrition for Cancer Patients

  • Protein Foods in Every Meal, e.g., Lean Meat, Eggs, Beans, and Dairy Products

  • Fruits and Green Leafy Vegetables That Are Rich in Antioxidants, Vitamins, and Minerals

  • Plenty of Fluids, Like Water and Freshly-Squeezed Juices, for Maximum Hydration

Nutrition for Terminally Ill Patients

Nutrition for Terminally Ill Patients

The nutrition of a hospice patient or person near the end of their life is a challenging affair. Eating and drinking problems are very common in terminally ill patients. Thus, in end-of-life nutrition, physical and emotional comfort play a crucial role. During this phase, due to metabolic changes and increased pain, people often lose their appetite and sense of taste.

Moreover, certain medications can affect their taste buds and alter their hunger and taste too. However, this does not mean that we let go and leave the person to their death. Such patients must be handled with care. It is important to stop the "food struggle" and allow them to have the food they want to.

Nutrition for Terminally Ill Patients

  • Offer Them Small Yet Frequent Meals Whenever They Want

  • Serve Them Foods in Small Portions, So That They Don't Feel Overwhelmed

  • Serve Meals When the Patient Has the Most Energy

  • Increase the Intake of High-Calorie Foods and Limit the Use of Low-Calorie Ones

  • Serve Calorie-Rich Supplements

  • Add Olive Oil or Butter in Meals

Nutrition for Patients with Dementia

Nutrition for Patients with Dementia

A healthy diet is important for leading a healthy life. However, patients with dementia often face a problem with eating and drinking and thus, undergo weight and muscle loss. Fatigue, lower immunity and a higher risk of infections are some of the common problems with these patients.

Additionally, some patients cannot recognise their thirst and run the risk of becoming dehydrated. Such patients are prone to constipation and urinary tract infections as well. As cognitive functions decline with these patients, the regular intake of nutritious meals becomes increasingly challenging.

These patients need extra care and proper nutrition to keep both their body and mind strong.

Nutrition for Patients with Dementia

  • Limit Foods That Contain Saturated Fat and Include Healthy Fats Like Omega 3 Fatty Acids in Meals

  • Limit the Intake of Refined Sugar and Change It with a Healthier Natural Source of Sugar Like Fruits and Jaggery

  • Provide Balanced Meals That Contain Lean Proteins, Dairy Products, Green Leafy Vegetables, Whole Grains, Etc.

  • Reduce the Salt (Sodium) Intake as It Might Increase the Blood Pressure of the Patient

  • Eat Together with the Patient and Give Them Plenty of Time to Chew and Swallow the Food

  • Serve Them Meals on Time as They Tend to Forget When They Had Their Last Meal

Contact our social care agency today, in Farnborough, Hampshire, to discover more about nutrition.