Eating Well in Later Life
Eating well as we get older is really important and it can become harder to eat properly due to changes in our appetite; it becoming harder to cook and shop; due to illness or maybe because you are on your own and it's hard to enjoy eating alone.
However this can lead to weight loss and undernutrition which is very dangerous. Undernutrition can increase the risk of you becoming ill or getting an infection, it can make you more likely to have a fall and it makes recovery time from surgery and illness much longer so it's very important to eat a good diet and keep your weight healthy.
Some signs to look out for:
- Clothes becoming lose or trousers needing a belt tightened to stay up.
- Jewellery such as rings slipping off or becoming looser
- Dentures not fitting properly or falling out easily
- Always feeling cold, finding it hard to keep warm
- Having no energy and feeling tired
- Changes in mood
- Frequent colds or infections
If you're worried about weight loss and have a small appetite, or have difficulty swallowing food, talk to your GP or Practice Nurse and perhaps ask a friend, relative or carer to go with you.
Always check with a GP or a dietitian before making changes to your own or someone's diet.