The Canadian government publishes a food guide with suggestions for healthy eating for everyone. Here is what that publication says for seniors.

Drinking Enough

This past summer we had some brutal heat waves during the summer and seniors were particularly at risk. Dehydration made the news, but, in fact, drinking enough is important all year round no matter what the weather is.

Seniors tend to eat and drink less, so it’s important that seniors drink enough water. If someone doesn’t like plain water then a little flavouring or juice added to the water can make it more palatable. Just keep in mind that caffeinated beverages don’t count in your water intake. Caffeine dehydrates you.

An Emergency Supply

The federal food guide suggests that seniors keep an emergency food supply of either frozen or dehydrated or canned food that can be eaten in an emergency. That is if you are not able to go out food shopping because of weather or illness, you should always have enough for a few meals at home. This is not an issue if a senior lives in a an assisted-living community such as ours in Kamloops where meals are prepared by professionals eaten together.

Variety

Variety in food choices is important. That is how we can ensure that we are getting a good balance of nutrients. Colourful fruits and vegetables and fewer processed foods are much better for you.

Keeping Meals Interesting

It’s not always fun to eat alone, and people often don’t feel like cooking for one person. Invite a friend over! Or cook for more than one meal and freeze the other portions. Make mealtime as interesting as possible, so you look forward to mealtime.

As we age, often our senses of taste and smell are not as good as when we were young. Seniors also tend to eat less than they used to and lose weight. There may be difficulties chewing or swallowing. Eating a diet high in fibre and low in saturated fat and added sugar is good for everyone—not just for seniors.