Nutritional Counseling for the Elderly
Introduction
People with extreme ages, such as children and the elderly, have critical health that requires nutrition guidelines. Additionally, both the children and elderly persons are vulnerable to malnutrition and, therefore, require adequate balanced foods to help them overcome health problems. The process of aging is inevitable and is commonly characterized by body changes and loss of energy. Besides, aged individuals regularly face increased health problems due to weak immunity. Nutrition counseling is the most vital strategy to overcome the health problems associated with aging.
WHO documents that many of the diseases suffered by the elderly are as a result of dietary factors. Thus, the organization documents that nutrition counseling is one of the most successful ways to improve the health status of the elderly. According to research, many of the elderly’s diets lack essential nutrients vital during the aging process. The study further indicated that there are many health problems associated with poor nutrition among the elderly. Among health problems are impaired muscle function that limits movement, reduced cognitive function, delayed injury or sickness recovery, anemia, and increased occurrences of other health illnesses. Many changes face people as they age. Some of these changes include lack of appetite, lack of remembrance, increased loss or gain of weight, and lack of physical activities. All these factors have drastic consequences on the health of the affected person. Due to the effects of these changes, it is essential to educate the elderly persons concerning their nutrients. Some specific foods are vital for aged persons, such as vitamins and proteins. Therefore, their daily foods must contain vitamins and other food rich in protein.
There are many types of nutritional guides documented by diverse scholars that help individuals adhere to specific diets. My Plate and My Pyramid are some of the nutrition guides for healthy eating. Indeed, the guide is a useful tool that reminds individuals of the right mix of food. Since its introduction, the guide has become a vital nutrition counseling tool that helps users on their daily food consumption. My Plate is divided into four portions, which are fruits, grains, vegetables, and protein. Its food recommendation is based on dietary guidelines for Americans. According to the above nutritional guide, individuals should consume food depending on the four portions. Differently from other versions of daily requirements, My Plate guideline has a reminder set by the users within a specific timeframe of food intake.
Indeed, My Plate is the most vital nutritional guide for the elderly population. As documented earlier, forgetting is one of the characteristics of aging. Despite their willingness, the above population constantly skips consuming the required food mix, a factor that compromises their health. For that reason, elderly persons are taken to nursing homes where they are assisted during food consumption. My Plate is the most effective tool to address the problem among this population. Through the set reminder, the elderly persons are constantly reminded of the food mix and, therefore, cannot miss the diet.
Conclusion
A balanced diet is required for many purposes, such as preventing illnesses, recovery from illness, or a healthy lifestyle. Among the diverse population, elderly persons are prone to many health problems and, therefore, require a proper diet to overcome health problems. One of the most vital nutrition tools among the elderly is My Plate. The tool presents necessary nutrition guidelines that should be followed during food consumption. The importance of this tool among elderly persons is that it has a reminder used to remind the users of the time for food consumption.