Nutritious & Delicious: How Senior Living Enhances an Older Adult’s Diet

Despite how healthy we may feel, our bodies experience inevitable changes as we age that alter the way we absorb nutrients from what we eat. Without changing the diet we enjoyed in our younger years, older adults are likely to experience nutritional deficits. In addition, our lifestyle changes can also affect when and how we eat. Seniors hoping to stay healthy should reevaluate their diets and lifestyle habits in order to make positive adjustments for their health.

Heather Battey, Executive Director at amavida, a senior living community in Fort Myers, Florida, is no stranger to the effects of aging on nutrition. “Not only are seniors dealing with biological changes, such as a slower metabolism, loss of taste and smell or side effects from medication, but older adults often fall into a lifestyle that can negatively impact their nutritional intake. Isolation at home, loss of energy or mobility issues can keep seniors from eating healthy or preparing nutritious food. A decrease in physical activity can also make it difficult to work up an appetite, so a lot of seniors choose not to eat.

“While countless factors often play a part in seniors’ poor diets, the results can cause serious health problems. For older adults who struggle to eat healthy for one reason or another, senior living is often the ideal solution for all of their dietary needs. Not only does community living provide dining services, but the comprehensive wellness services offered at a community like amavida ensure optimal health for every resident, considering their personal needs and preferences.”

If you or a loved one are searching for a lifestyle that optimizes senior health and nutrition, consider how senior living can enhance wellness through nutritious, delicious dining services and wellness programming.

6 Ways Senior Living Enhances Senior Dining

At amavida, residents experience all the amenities and services that create a lifestyle of wellness and luxury, including a fantastic dining program that caters to the unique nutritional needs of seniors. The following advantages describe some of the major ways life at a senior living community can help older adults thrive through nutritious, delicious dining:

1. Chef-prepared, guaranteed meals – At a senior living community, residents enjoy the benefit of three meals each day without ever stepping foot in the kitchen. Talented dining teams prepare delicious menu choices every day, so seniors can choose what they like, when they like. For seniors with health conditions that make it difficult to cook or shop for groceries, the benefit of chef-prepared dining ensures they never have to skip meals or sacrifice on portions or flavor.
2. Nutritionist-approved menus – Many communities have a nutritionist or dietitian on staff who can assist the dining teams in creating meals that meet the unique nutritional needs of seniors. Keeping senior health in mind, these teams work together to combine ingredients that are not only healthy, but delicious, too. Senior nutritionists can also suggest creative ways to cut out sodium, fat and sugar without cutting out taste. Each meal is designed by a specialist in senior health and nutrition.
3. Resident input – Unlike other food services for seniors, such as meal-delivery options, seniors have a say in what they eat at a senior living community. Not only can they choose from enticing menu options, but they can also offer suggestions and input for future meals. Many dining teams gladly take resident opinions into account as they create menus, adding cultural options and community favorites.
4. Personalization – In addition to taking part in the planning, residents at senior living communities can enjoy daily personalization for their meals. Some communities offer restaurant-style dining, where food can be made-to-order, while others might serve different food options at various stations. Residents can always speak with the chef to make personal requests.
5. Easy, professional adaptations – For those who require special dietary adaptations, such as gluten- or dairy-free, vegetarian options, or diabetic considerations, dining teams can easily incorporate these needs into their meals with finesse. Dining teams at senior living communities are specially trained to prepare food at varying consistencies and nutritional levels without sacrificing taste or presentation.
6. Social settings – One primary reason seniors struggle to eat well at home is isolation. Not only can it be difficult to cook all the time, but isolation can also cause depression-like symptoms that affect one’s desire to eat. Community life changes mealtimes from a frustrating struggle to a social occasion. Friends and neighbors eat together and share conversations over meals. Special menus or seasonal events can turn dinner into a celebration. Residents always have the option to eat with others and meet new people over a meal. In senior living communities, meals are a time for connection and joy.

Dining Solutions for Healthy Seniors

“There are countless reasons to make the move to a senior living community,” says Battey, “but the delight of senior dining services is certainly a top contender! While it’s possible to enjoy a healthy senior diet at home, it can be hard to do it all by yourself or rely on a family member’s help. Quite simply, senior living is the best solution for seniors who desire the comprehensive benefits of a nutritious, delicious senior dining service.

“From access to professionals who specialize in senior nutrition to fantastic settings that make eating a joy, community living offers residents the best in daily dining. No longer do seniors or their family members have to worry about preparing food, weekly trips to the grocery store, making special adaptations for health conditions or the struggle of eating alone. Senior living takes away the worries of healthy eating and serves up daily guarantees of delicious, nutritious dining.”

If you would like to learn more about senior nutrition or the services available at amavida, contact us today.