Senior Nutrition: A Comprehensive Guide to Helping Seniors Eat Well

Covered in this guide:

• Challenges That Make Nutrition Harder for Seniors
• Tips to Help Older Adults Get the Nutrition They Need
• Unique Concerns for Seniors on a Vegan Diet
• Special Dietary Concerns for Older Adults in Senior Living Communities
• Keeping Food Safe for Older Adults
• Get Help Finding Healthy Food in Your State

Updated: August 14, 2023 | Reviewed by: Deidre Sommerer, LPN, MS, CMC, CDP

When you have an older adult in your life, you have many concerns about their care. One that is easy to overlook is nutrition. It's easy to assume that your senior loved one is going to eat enough food, but the truth is that many older adults struggle to consume enough to meet their dietary needs. Also, many older adults don't understand what their dietary needs actually are. The foods they do eat may be low in nutritional value, and this puts them at risk for a variety of health concerns.

As people age, their nutritional needs change. Even though an older adult is no longer growing and will not need the same number of calories as a young child, they will need specific nutrients to help ward off health concerns common with aging. Yet getting enough of these important nutrients when eating a lower-calorie diet is also a challenge.

Good nutrition means eating a healthy, balanced diet, so the body has all of the nutrients it needs. Eating right can help reduce the risk of diseases such as osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes, and for older adults, it can also reduce problems with high blood pressure and heart disease. Eating enough calories can support a healthy weight. Yet even when they know they should be eating right, many older adults need some additional help to get the right amount of nutrients and calories each day. In fact, around 16% of older adults who live at home or in the general community eat fewer than 1,000 calories a day, putting them at high risk of malnutrition. As many as 50% of hospitalized older adults struggle with malnutrition, and as many as 60% of those in senior living communities do as well. Poor nutrition is a concern for older adults that their loved ones need to address.

Thankfully, you can help the seniors in your life get the right nutrients and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. This guide will address some common concerns about health for older adults while also providing practical tips and resources you can use to ensure that the seniors in your life are getting the healthy food they need.

Challenges That Make Nutrition Harder for Seniors

Getting older creates some unique challenges when it comes to nutrition. Some of these are physical challenges, and others are emotional concerns. One key to helping your senior loved ones, or yourself if you are an older adult, get adequate nutrition is identifying and addressing these concerns.

Living Alone

Many older adults choose to age at home. Living alone makes it harder to cook healthy meals. Sometimes they lack the motivation to cook for just one person, and sometimes they have health concerns that make cooking difficult. Also, cooking three nutritious meals a day may seem like a huge task to an older adult living on their own. You can support your senior loved one by tapping into nutrition services, taking them to congregate meal options in your community or cooking for them occasionally.

Oral Health Concerns

As people age, the health of their teeth often suffers. Losing teeth, having dentures or dealing with oral pain can make eating nutritious foods more challenging. Some older adults also have difficulty with swallowing. All of these concerns can make it challenging to eat crunchy vegetables and fruits. If you are not paying close attention, these challenges can make it harder for your senior loved ones to eat enough nutritious food, even if they have enough available to them.

Medication Side Effects

Many older adults take a number of medications to help with their health concerns as they age. Unfortunately, medications often have side effects that can make it difficult to eat. These might include:

• Changing the way food tastes
• Reducing the appetite
• Causing dry mouth

If problems like this are causing reduced food intake, talk to your loved one’s doctor about potential solutions to ensure they get enough food.

Changes in Taste and Smell

Another reason many older adults don’t eat well is because they’re suffering changes to their sense of taste or smell. Medication can cause this, but sometimes the sense of taste or smell simply diminishes as they get older. When food doesn't taste or smell the same as it used to, seniors may lose the motivation to eat it.

Limited Income

Many older adults have limited incomes. Even those who carefully saved for their retirement must be cautious in how they use that money. Fresh produce is full of vitamins and healthy fiber, but it can also be expensive, and many older adults will skip it in favor of cheaper processed foods.

Transportation Concerns

To eat healthy food, you must have healthy ingredients. Seniors need to purchase produce and meat regularly, but many older adults have mobility and transportation issues that make getting to and from the grocery store difficult. They may find it easier to buy shelf-stable foods that are less nutritious in order to limit the number of trips they have to take to the store.

Isolation and Mental Health Concerns

Another issue that can affect older adults is depression. More than two million American adults age 65 and older are dealing with depression. Isolation often triggers this, as can the chronic illnesses that are common in older adults. Depression and mental health concerns can make eating healthy feel overwhelming, and this can lead to malnutrition.

Tips to Help Older Adults Get the Nutrition They Need

Seniors face some very real challenges that make getting enough nutrition difficult, but there are some good tips that you can use to help them overcome these challenges. Being aware of the concern is the first step. Once you know that nutrition is a serious issue for older adults, you can start to help the seniors in your life get enough food to protect them from malnutrition.

1. Increase Produce Intake

Fruits and vegetables are an important source of vitamins, and they also have high amounts of fiber, which can support a healthy digestive system function. As you look at an older adult's diet, make sure it contains a variety of fruits and vegetables, and opt for whole fruits instead of fruit juices for maximum nutritional benefit. Encourage seniors to “eat the rainbow,” which means choosing all the colors of fruits and vegetables. Dark leafy greens are a good source of iron and calcium, while orange or red vegetables have beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A. Purple and blue foods are rich sources of antioxidants, which are vital to immune system health.

Oral health challenges can make it difficult for seniors to chew produce. To help with this, consider making vegetables and fruits softer by cooking them or chopping them into smaller pieces to put into casseroles and salads.

2. Choose Iron-Rich Foods

Iron is an essential element that humans need for survival. It is found in the body's hemoglobin and is important for energy levels and endurance. Seniors with low iron levels may feel weak and tired, and iron deficiency is a common concern that can lead to anemia or a lack of red blood cells. Eating an iron-rich diet can help combat this issue.

Foods that are rich in iron include liver, oysters, oatmeal, white beans, lentils, beef, quinoa, red potatoes, prunes and pumpkin seeds. Iron from animal-based sources is easier to absorb, so aim for a balance between these two sources. Help your senior find interesting ways to eat these foods to reduce the risk of iron deficiency.

3. Consume Enough Protein

Protein is a key nutrient for older adults, according to the National Institutes of Health. Consuming sufficient protein, often more than the recommended daily allowance for an individual's age and gender, may support better muscle health, energy and weight. It also supports good cardiovascular function and can prevent sarcopenia, which is the loss of muscle mass and strength as people age.

Protein comes from nuts and animal-based foods, such as meats and cheeses. Choose lean meats when possible to avoid consuming too many saturated fats, which can increase cholesterol, hurt heart health and increase your loved one's overall weight. Aim for a variety of protein sources, including fish-based sources, to help keep the diet balanced.

4. Use Community-based Resources

If your older adult loved one is struggling to get a balanced diet, see if there are any community-based programs that can help. Meals on Wheels is a common one. This program delivers daily meals to homebound seniors. The meals are nutritionally balanced, so you can be more confident that your loved one is getting at least one meal a day with the proper nutrient balance.

Another option is a congregate meal at the local senior center. These centers offer similar meals to home meal delivery services but have the added benefit of providing a social outlet. Your community may also offer a grocery delivery program. While this does not solve the challenge of needing to cook, it can ensure that your loved one has healthy ingredients to make food at home.

5. Look for Healthy Fats

Fat has a bad reputation, but the reality is that we need fat for survival. However, trans fats, also called partially hydrogenated oils, and saturated fats are not the healthiest options. Instead, look for unsaturated fats, such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, to support a healthy diet. These fats lower the risk of disease, and seniors need to consume them in moderation.

You’ll find healthy fats in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and fish. Unhealthy fats are in red meat, cheeses and butter. Try to help your senior loved one increase consumption of healthy fats and decrease consumption of unhealthy fats when possible.

6. Choose Whole Grains

Whole grains have more nutrients than refined grains. They also contain more fiber. You can make the switch to whole grains fairly easily, too.

Instead of buying white bread, buy bread made with whole grains. Choose whole-wheat pasta instead of white pasta. Swap out brown rice for white rice. These small changes will have a big impact on an older adult's overall nutrition.

7. Consider Supplements

Sometimes, even with the most balanced diet, you won’t get enough of certain nutrients. For instance, vitamin D, which is vital to immunity, is synthesized with sun exposure. You can’t increase your vitamin D consumption by increasing your fruit and vegetable intake. While you can get a lot of vitamin C from your diet, adding more of this antioxidant helps support good immune system health.

One way to get these important nutrients for someone with a limited diet is supplementation. Always talk to your doctor before starting a new supplement and check for medication interaction problems, but you can often use vitamin supplements to cover any missing nutrients you’re struggling to get through diet alone.

Unique Concerns for Seniors on a Vegan Diet

If you are a senior who chooses a plant-based diet, you will need to ensure you get enough of certain nutrients to remain healthy. While a plant-based diet can be a healthy eating choice, it can also lack certain nutrients that are vital to your health and well-being. Here are some tips to help you enjoy a healthy diet while focusing on plant-based foods:

Special Dietary Concerns for Older Adults in Senior Living Communities

Many older adults will choose to live in a senior living community, or their health concerns may make this a necessity. These communities are specially prepared to assist with dietary needs and concerns. Whether your loved one needs a soft food diet, low sodium diet or something else, you can find those options in a senior living community. Here are some of the special dietary options that these communities often offer:

Feeding Assistance in Senior Living Communities

Another concern that older adults may have is difficulties with the physical task of eating. Arthritis can make holding a fork or spoon challenging, and cognitive decline could make it hard to remember to eat. Declining muscle mass can also contribute to challenges with independent feedings. Unfortunately, these challenges can cause weight loss, malnutrition and dehydration.

One of the benefits of living in a senior living community is feeding assistance. Staff at these communities are trained in helping older adults eat in a dignified manner. They also closely monitor residents' weight and eating habits, so they can provide support when necessary. Communities will work with speech therapists to ensure residents have the right interventions when feeding challenges develop.

Some mealtime assistance strategies include:

• Specially altered utensils
• Precutting food
• Limiting packaging
• Physical guidance of the utensils
• Verbal encouragement and direction
• Spoon feeding
• Ensuring residents finish their meals when appropriate

Constant monitoring by caring staff members ensures that these accommodations change as needed to keep your senior loved one healthy and well-fed.

Keeping Food Safe for Older Adults

Food safety is another key concern for older adults. The CDC warns that older adults are at higher risk of serious reactions to food-borne illnesses due to weakened immune systems. In fact, nearly half of those aged 65 and older with a food-borne illness such as salmonella or E. coli will end up in the hospital as a result. In addition, older adults are at higher risk of contracting these diseases. Some older adults may struggle to remember how old their food is, putting them at risk for food-borne illnesses. Others may need help with safe food preparation to reduce this risk.

Below you will find tips to help keep older adults safe from food-borne illnesses, food poisoning and other food safety concerns.

Get Help Finding Healthy Food in Your State

Eating healthy is a concern for many older adults, but thankfully, there are resources available. Each state has programs and resources older adults and their caregivers can tap into to get healthy food and protect seniors from food-related concerns. Take a look at the information below to find your state and the available resources it offers.

State Resources for Seniors in Alaska

State Resources for Seniors in Alabama

State Resources for Seniors in Arkansas

State Resources for Seniors in Arizona

State Resources for Seniors in California

State Resources for Seniors in Colorado

State Resources for Seniors in Connecticut

State Resources for Seniors in Delaware

State Resources for Seniors in Florida

State Resources for Seniors in Georgia

State Resources for Seniors in Hawaii

State Resources for Seniors in Iowa

State Resources for Seniors in Idaho

State Resources for Seniors in Illinois

State Resources for Seniors in Indiana

State Resources for Seniors in Kansas

State Resources for Seniors in Kentucky

State Resources for Seniors in Louisiana

State Resources for Seniors in Massachusetts

State Resources for Seniors in Maryland

State Resources for Seniors in Maine

State Resources for Seniors in Michigan

State Resources for Seniors in Minnesota

State Resources for Seniors in Missouri

State Resources for Seniors in Mississippi

State Resources for Seniors in Montana

State Resources for Seniors in North Carolina

State Resources for Seniors in North Dakota

State Resources for Seniors in Nebraska

State Resources for Seniors in New Hampshire

State Resources for Seniors in New Jersey

State Resources for Seniors in New Mexico

State Resources for Seniors in Nevada

State Resources for Seniors in New York

State Resources for Seniors in Ohio

State Resources for Seniors in Oklahoma

State Resources for Seniors in Oregon

State Resources for Seniors in Pennsylvania

State Resources for Seniors in Rhode Island

State Resources for Seniors in South Carolina

State Resources for Seniors in South Dakota

State Resources for Seniors in Tennessee

State Resources for Seniors in Texas

State Resources for Seniors in Utah

State Resources for Seniors in Virginia

State Resources for Seniors in Vermont

State Resources for Seniors in Washington

State Resources for Seniors in Wisconsin

State Resources for Seniors in West Virginia

State Resources for Seniors in Wyoming