Table of Contents
The danger of elderly people not wanting to eat
How to increase appetite in the elderly
1. Improve the taste of food
2. Evaluate medications
3. Overcome depression
4. Add healthy snacks
5. Make mealtime a social activity
Jakarta, goldensamoyed Indonesia
—
The problem of elderly people not wanting to eat is often a worry for families.
Elderly
You can experience malnutrition if your food portions are continuously reduced.
As you get older, physical and psychological changes can indeed affect you
appetite
elderly significantly.
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Many factors cause elderly people to be reluctant to eat, ranging from decreased metabolism to impaired sense of smell and taste.
So what dangers lurk if the elderly have no appetite?Here is the explanation, citing various sources.
The danger of elderly people not wanting to eat
Launch
Hebrew Senior Life
Based on research, around 15-30 percent of elderly people experience anorexia in old age.This is a condition of prolonged decreased appetite due to biological changes with aging.
As you get older, your digestive system slows down, your energy needs decrease, and your ability to smell, taste and see also decreases.
These factors contribute greatly to loss of appetite in the elderly.Dementia can also worsen eating schedules.
If seniors do not eat enough, they are at risk of weight loss and malnutrition which accelerates the body’s vulnerability.
This is quite dangerous, because nutritional deficiencies can weaken the body’s immune system, reduce mobility, and significantly reduce the quality of life.
Protein deficiency, for example, can cause damage to skin integrity and increase the risk of infection.Calcium deficiency can cause osteoporosis, which increases the risk of bone fractures.
Malnutrition in the elderly can also cause various other serious health problems, such as slow wound healing, a higher risk of falls, and an increased risk of hospitalization and death.
How to increase appetite in the elderly
Elderly people who don’t want to eat will be more susceptible to various diseases and other health problems.Therefore, families or caregivers need to intervene with elderly people so they want to eat.
Following are several ways that can be done to increase the appetite of the elderly, as reported by The Geriatric Dietitian.
1. Improve the taste of food
A decrease in the sense of smell, taste and sight means that elderly people often lose their appetite.Adding herbs and spices can make food more appetizing.
Visually attractive food presentation is also important.For example, arranging food neatly, adding garnishes, and using beautiful plates.
2. Evaluate medications
Some medications that elderly people regularly consume can cause a number of side effects.Starting from loss of appetite, digestive disorders, to changes in taste in the sense of taste.
Consult with the relevant doctor to review the medications you are taking and look for alternatives that do not interfere with your appetite.
3. Overcome depression
Elderly people who are depressed can also lose their appetite significantly.Treating depression can help increase food cravings.
So, if an elderly person shows signs of depression, it is important to involve mental health professionals to help overcome this problem.
4. Add healthy snacks
If an elderly person has difficulty finishing food or feels tired quickly when eating, you can add nutrition in other forms.
For example making
smoothies
high in calories that can be drunk between lunch and dinner.Apart
smoothies
, you can also add other snacks that are healthy and easy to chew.
5. Make mealtime a social activity
Inviting the elderly to eat together can also increase appetite.Try to prevent elderly people from eating alone, invite them to eat with family or friends.
By understanding the dangers of elderly people not wanting to eat and implementing practical ways to increase their appetite, we can help elderly people live a healthier and happier old age.
(rea/juh)
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