About Malnutrition
Malnutrition can be caused by a variety of
factors. Below are just a handful of common situations that
may affect older adults and increase their risk of
malnutrition.
- Low income – buying healthy food is
a challenge.
- Living alone – preparing nutritious
meals for one and eating alone can be unappealing.
- Chronic health conditions – special
diets can be difficult to manage.
- Mental health conditions –
depression and anxiety can lead to decreased appetite.
- Poor oral health – discomfort makes
it harder to eat some foods, such as raw vegetables.
- Lack of transportation – obtaining
groceries and meals requires significant effort.
What we eat and drink –
and how nutritious it is – affects all aspects of our
bodies and how we function. If we don’t get the nutrition
that we need, it affects our physical and mental health and
can eventually lead to chronic diseases like diabetes and
heart disease. In older adults, malnutrition can increase
the risk of illness, frailty, and falls – all of which can
undermine independence and contribute to poor quality of
life.
Malnutrition also costs money – the U.S. health care system
spends an estimated $51 billion each year to
address this issue. Community-based organizations
interested in partnering with health care entities may
consider emphasizing how the senior nutrition program
reduces malnutrition in older adults participating in our
programs, thus preventing hospitalizations and declines in
physical and mental health.
Unfortunately, despite these negative outcomes,
malnutrition among older adults often goes undetected and
unaddressed. The aging network, however, is uniquely poised
to make a difference.
How to Help
Wherever you work within
the aging network, you likely interact with seniors who
have poor nutritional health. The first thing you can do to
help identify malnutrition or the risk of malnutrition is
to ask older adults these two questions from a simple Malnutrition
Screening Tool recognized by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
for its reliability:
- Have you lost weight recently
without trying?
- Have you been eating poorly because
of a decreased appetite?
If someone is at risk, one
of the best ways you can help is to refer them to the Senior
Nutrition Program. Funded by the Older Americans Act
and administered by ACL, the program supports nutrition
services for older adults across the country. Its
three-fold purpose is to:
- Reduce hunger, food insecurity, and
malnutrition
- Increase socialization
- Promote the health and well-being
of older Americans
Local senior nutrition
programs address malnutrition by providing nutritious meals
through congregate and home-delivered meal programs. A recent review by an independent
panel of public health and prevention experts supports
what ACL evaluations have shown – these meal programs
reduce malnutrition.
In addition to senior nutrition programs, ACL’s Eldercare
Locator can connect older adults and their families to
services that can address other factors contributing to
malnutrition. This vital resource provides information on a
range of local supports in the areas of transportation,
physical activity, in-home services, and more.
A Call to Action
While we observe
Malnutrition Awareness Week this month, I urge you to think
beyond September. As you go about your daily work, consider
nutrition an essential part of senior health – and
malnutrition as something we can all help to solve.
Learn More
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