Eating healthy is important for people of all ages, and though we may not realize it, the food that we eat can have a big impact on our health as we age. As we get older, our bodies develop different nutritional needs, which become important to address in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and prevent disease. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, many of the diseases older people suffer from are often the result of a poor diet throughout their lives. Getting proper nutrition later in life is helpful in lowering the risk of high cholesterol and high blood pressure, both of which can lead to a range of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Older people who already have these conditions can still benefit from getting the correct nutrition, which can help to manage these diseases rather than make them worse. As a health care assistant, it’s important to know how to help older clients meet their nutritional needs. Continue reading to learn more!

What Those with Health Care Assistant Training Should Advise Older Clients to Eat

In order to meet their nutritional needs, those with health care assistant training should make sure that older clients are getting the proper amount of nutrients such as calcium, vitamins D and B12, potassium, minerals, and dietary fibre. Eating enough foods containing these nutrients is important in order to prevent disease and stay healthy. In order to get the right amount of calcium, older adults should look to foods such as fruit juices, dark green vegetables, tinned fish, fortified cereals and low-fat milk, yogurt, or other dairy products. Vitamin D can be obtained from foods like eggs or fish, and Vitamin B12 is found in lean meat, some seafood and fish, fortified cereal, nutritional yeast, or—in some cases—a B12 supplement with a doctor’s recommendation. Potassium can be found in legumes, vegetables, and fruits. Dietary fibre comes from whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.

While older adults should strive to incorporate as many of the above foods as possible, health care assistants can also recommend some general dietary guidelines to follow, which promote good health. Older adults should avoid excess sodium as much as possible, and should look to spices or herbs when adding flavour to foods rather than salt. As a general rule, older adults should add fruits and vegetables to meals whenever possible. Additionally, it’s important to avoid foods that contain saturated or trans fats. Instead, recommend fatty foods like seeds, nuts, fish, avocados, and vegetable oils. Lastly, just as for people of all ages, older adults should make sure that they are drinking plenty of water in order to stay hydrated.

Getting the Right Nutrients Can Prevent Against Disease

According to the World Health Organization, older people can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease simply by eating less sodium and saturated fat, and increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed. Cardiovascular disease, associated with high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, is common for older clients to develop as risk factors accumulated throughout a lifetime compound. As someone with HCA training, you can help older adults avoid increasing their chances of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers by maintaining a nutrient-rich diet with limited sodium and saturated fat intake. 

Do you want to become a health care assistant?

Check out Discovery Community College’s program options today.