industry & reform
Living well
Dietician discusses nutrition issues in aged care .
By Elise Hartevelt
A musculoskeletal health expert has identified calcium , protein and vitamin D as key nutritional challenges for older people . Earlier this year the government allocated $ 12.9m to lift the standard of food and nutrition in aged care and allocated independent dietitians to conduct 500 meal assessments each year . Dietitian and musculoskeletal health expert Caoileann Murphy said maintaining a healthy diet throughout one ’ s life can help to “ save more nutrients in the bank ” in later years .
“ There are certain nutrients that can be a concern for older people and they may fall short in meeting them ,” Ms Murphy said .
Aged Care Insite spoke with Ms Murphy about the relationship between nutrition and exercise for the well-being of older people .
ACI : What are some ways we can promote healthy ageing through our diet ? CM : You ’ re always going to benefit from having a healthy diet throughout your life . Take , for example , bone health . Our bone health tends to peak in late adolescence , remains steady for a while , and then it starts to decline .
If we ensure we eat enough calcium in adolescence , it can help us put ‘ more bone in the bank ’ so to speak .
Overall , eating healthy during your life can put you at a lower risk of obesity , heart disease , type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancers .
What are the greatest nutrition challenges older people face ? It ’ s important to note that it differs for each individual , regardless of age .
One 75-year-old may be physically active and healthy , while another 75-yearold may have health issues and chronic illnesses .
These factors affect nutritional requirements and the optimal diet for each individual .
But there are certain nutrients that can be a concern for older individuals and they may fall short in meeting them .
12 agedcareinsite . com . au