According to HealthinAging.org, around one in ten older people living in their homes don't eat enough. On the other hand, one in three folks older than 65 eat "too much."
Not eating enough (under-nutrition) and "overeating" (over-nutrition) are both types of malnutrition. As HealthinAging.org also notes, both are "bad" for one's health.
If you have an older loved one living alone at home, they may also be at risk of such nutritional concerns. The good news is that a warm and caring assisted senior living community, such as Chandler Place in Kendallville, IN, can help by providing innovative and varied senior dining options.
In this guide to assisted living nutrition, we'll explore how senior living communities like ours can help your aging loved one stay on top of their dietary needs.
Home-style dining emulates the environment and vibes of sharing family meals at home. Knowledgeable and friendly staff members bring the plated food ordered by residents to their tables. Residents can then enjoy their meals with fellow residents and friends.
But what exactly about those things make home-style dining beneficial for seniors?
As people age, their nutritional needs also change because of factors like:
An example of a health condition that impacts seniors' nutritional needs is sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass and tissue.
According to a Cleveland Clinic article, sarcopenia's prevalence rates range from 5% to 13% among people 60 and older and 11% to 50% in adults 80 or above. It also points out that scientists believe physical inactivity and poor diet contribute to this condition.
Fortunately, according to the same Cleveland Clinic post, physical exercise and a healthy diet with increased protein content may help reverse sarcopenia. Therefore, personalized senior meal plans in assisted living communities can play a role in combatting this condition. Likewise, they can help manage other chronic conditions requiring special dietary needs and restrictions (e.g., low-sodium, low-fat, low-sugar, low-carb, etc.).
Seniors living alone are at risk of loneliness and social isolation. A 2023 survey published on JAMA Network discovered that over one in three older adults aged 50 to 80 experienced loneliness. Nearly a third of the surveyed participants also reported feeling socially isolated.
Both loneliness and social isolation, as the JAMA Network study also explained, have connections to physical and mental health problems. For example, there's a link between loneliness and a higher risk of:
By contrast, maintaining or enhancing social connections can improve physical, social, and emotional health, even longevity!
Home-style dining, with its social element, provides residents with more opportunities to interact and communicate with others. Their appetites may also improve because food tastes even better when shared and eaten with company.
Having to eat alone, such as in the case of older adults living alone, can make people more prone to skipping meals. The longer and the more often this happens, the more likely seniors are to develop malnutrition woes.
Assisted living communities help address such issues by offering delicious, nutritious meals. It also helps that company and companionship are always abundant in these communities.
The home-away-from-home dining experience assisted living communities provide gives residents something to look forward to. The meals and the prospect of having company can whet their appetites and encourage them to eat healthily and regularly.
Table-side service, carried out by friendly, experienced dining staff, is another solution that senior living communities like Chandler Place Assisted Living in Kendallville, IN, offer. Our goal in providing this service is to enhance resident satisfaction and quality of life through:
Table-side dining services for seniors allow staff to spend more time with each resident and learn their preferences and dietary needs. The expert staff can then make recommendations, explain the menu for the day, and answer questions about the food. All these can help residents feel more comfortable and have more pleasant dining experiences.
The caring and compassionate personal care staff of assisted living communities can also provide mealtime assistance to seniors.
Since table-side service involves staff members providing guidance and answering menu-related questions, residents can decide what to order more quickly. As a result, staff members receive orders and take them to the kitchen staff faster, allowing for more efficient meal preparation and service.
Another great thing about table-side service is that it helps make dining more comfortable for seniors. Without this, residents would have to find a table, walk to the counter where they can order, wait for their food, and then shuffle back to their tables. It can be inconvenient and stressful, especially for older adults with mobility issues.
Table-side service staff don't just take and serve orders. They also make every order-taking and receiving an opportunity for residents to be more social, feel more welcome, and have a sense of belonging.
According to a blog post from UC Davis Health, spending time outdoors, especially in nature, can improve cognitive functions, such as:
It can also boost mental health by helping with anxiety and lessening stress. Being out in nature may even help with heart health and blood pressure!
At Chandler Place Assisted Living, we understand those benefits are all the more important to our senior residents. So, we incorporate meals and refreshments with outdoor time whenever the weather permits. We enjoy grilling out and serving snacks in our beautiful, well-maintained courtyard.
From home-style dining to table-side service and enjoying meals outdoors, these are just some innovative dining solutions assisted senior living communities provide. And at Chandler Place in Kendallville, IN, we offer all these and more. We also take our residents to outings so they can enjoy dining at local restaurants.
The best way to learn more about what you or your older loved one can expect from our warm and welcoming community is to tour it!
We encourage you to reach out to us to schedule a visit. We'll happily show you around so you can discover how we foster good nutrition, physical activity, and social life here.