Kathy Thomas, a Registered Dietician and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist, joined Country Meadows in November 2018 as VP of Dining and Culinary Services. She has spent nearly all her career developing nutritional programs and menus for seniors. She loves working with seniors, hearing their stories and serving them healthy and delicious meal selections. From her experience, here are three questions Kathy often receives from seniors and their families and her answers:
What is the importance of proper hydration for seniors?
Proper hydration has many health benefits for seniors. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), adults, including seniors, who stay well hydrated appear to be healthier, develop fewer chronic conditions, such as heart and lung disease and live longer. Also, it can assist with:
- Digestion
- Maintaining a normal temperature
- Lubricating your body and cushioning joints
- Protecting your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues
- Reducing constipation and helping with urinary tract infections
- Ridding wastes through urination, perspiration and bowel movements
- Suppressing appetite and metabolizing stored fat
- Cooling down your body as you sweat
- Maintaining proper muscle tone
- Firmer skin
Like most adults, seniors are encouraged to drink eight 8-ounce servings of fluids per day. Water is the best overall choice, while other good sources of hydration include milk, low sugar fruit juices and flavored sparkling water. It is best not to consume too much at one time, but regular sips can help reach the daily goal.
Can some foods interact negatively with medications?
Seniors do need to be careful not to diminish the effects of their medications by consuming the wrong foods, or worse yet, cause a negative interaction. Bananas are usually a healthy choice, but the potassium in them can interfere with diuretics and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Grapefruit juice can interfere with some blood pressure medicines, organ transplant medicines and some cholesterol-lowering medicines. Some kinds of green leafy vegetables can reduce the effectiveness of the blood thinner warfarin. It is always best to check with your health care provider for guidance. More information on medication interactions is available from Johns Hopkins.
Are there daily diets or changing nutritional needs as seniors grow older?
A healthy diet should have balance, variety and moderation. The U.S. Department of Heath notes that older adults usually have lower calorie needs, but similar or even increased nutrient requirements compared to younger adults. This is often due to less physical activity, changes in metabolism or age-related loss of bone and muscle mass.
Eating enough protein can help prevent the loss of lean muscle. But, perhaps surprisingly, older adults often eat too little protein — especially adults ages 71 and older. It’s also important to remember that protein can come from many sources like seafood, dairy, or beans, peas and lentils.
At Country Meadows, we believe that at least 80 percent of weekly dietary intake should be healthy foods, and our menu items, balanced by old favorites and resident favorites, help achieve that.
Got a question for Kathy or our Dining team? Contact us below. We are here to help!
