Question

Identify some common food-related concerns that the elderly population are afflicted with in today's society. Consider economic, social and health issues.

Answer 1

• Nutritional problems in the elderly can cause a number of complications, including weakened immune systems, lowered energy levels and chronic health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis.
• Both weight loss and weight gain are problems in the elderly related to nutrition. The elderly have reduced metabolisms, meaning they burn fewer calories than they did before age 40. Additionally, the elderly often have less energy, especially if they suffer from chronic medical conditions. A slowed metabolism coupled with reduced activity can lead to obesity, which is on the rise in the elderly.
• Limited access to food, decreased appetites, medication side effects and medical problems can cause weight loss. Poverty and fixed incomes keep some elderly people from purchasing foods rich in vitamins and minerals.
• Dehydration is common in the elderly for a number of reasons. The elderly have a reduced ability to conserve water, are less attuned to their thirst, and may avoid drinking fluids because of overactive bladder problems.
• Elderly population is mostly vulnerable to the various nutritional problem, which is not only because of the physiological aging process, but also due to the lack of social support especially where children left the parents for a job in any other city or country.
• Social isolation of the elderly is a real issue in terms of nutrition. In the UK there are meals on wheels that deliver meals to the elderly daily. There are frozen food companies that prepare, freeze and deliver meals for the elderly to reheat. However, these solutions do not address the social isolation issue.
• There are also day centres where older people can go for much of the day and have a cooked meal, which increases social inclusion. Social issues need social enterprises to tackle the problems faced by older people when their families have moved away.
  
• Economic uncertainty might affect older people's food choice and diet variety as foods integral to a healthful diet (eg, fruit, vegetables, fish) can be perceived as a luxury.
• Estimates suggest that half of weekly income is needed for an older person on income support to eat a healthy diet; while the considerably higher cost of therapeutic diets places an even greater burden on older people with limited incomes.
• The economic sensitivity of diet is considered especially salient for older age individuals because they are more likely to have a low income,can experience two drops in income (through retirement and out-living savings),and have reduced opportunity to rebound from financial losses or shocks to their economic context as prospects for future employment are limited.
• For people aged 65 and over in the UK, food and non-alcoholic beverages comprise the greatest proportion of expenditures for basic necessities (eg, housing, fuel, power, and clothing and footwear) compared to younger age groups.