Positive Ageing - Eating Well Is Key To Good Health For Older People

Appetites often diminish with age so it’s particularly important the food that is consumed is nutritious. For good health an older person’s food intake should include:

• High quality protein - found in eggs, lean meat, fish and poultry
• Iron, zinc and calcium - found variously in lean red meat, poultry, fish, breakfast cereals and dairy products.

 

Other healthy food includes: fats (nut butters, nuts, seeds and olive oil), whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat bread, oats and whole grain cereals), fresh fruit and vegetables (canned and frozen are also good), and protein-rich beans and legumes.

It’s also important to drink enough water. The water content of the body diminishes with age. In older people it’s very easy to dehydrate quickly, without even noticing a thirst.

Remember to follow good food hygiene practices. Food poisoning is a greater risk in summer. Raw food, pets and unwashed hands can all transmit germs.

• Wash hands in hot water, clean working surfaces thoroughly and store perishable food under cover in the fridge
• Raw meat should be in a clean, sealed container at the bottom shelf of the fridge so there’s no risk of it dripping onto other food
• Be careful when re-heating food – make sure it’s piping hot through to the centre before you eat it
• Take particular care to thoroughly cook poultry, pork, sausages and rolled joints of meat.

Booklets about good nutrition for older people are available from the Public Health Unit at Wairau Hospital, Ph: 03 520 9914.