If you're a senior who must choose between paying your rent or shopping for groceries because of your fixed income, you may wonder if there's something you might do to make your difficult time easier. If you haven't looked into senior housing, such as assisted living, you may want to do so now. A number of assisted living facilities may offer you relief from the stresses of life by providing a safe and affordable place to call home. Assisted living may also provide healthy meal plans to help you avoid poor nutrition. Here's what you should know about poor nutrition and how an assisted living facility may help you.
What's Poor Nutrition?
Poor nutrition is one of the biggest concerns for many seniors living alone today. A number of things may lead to poor nutrition, including the physical inability to shop for healthy foods and the lack of funds to purchase nutritious foods. Seniors who don't receive the proper nutrition may suffer from health complications that aggravate their current health statuses, including malnutrition.
Malnutrition can lead to weight loss, poor vision and a host of other issues if it's not dealt with right away. Malnutrition also interferes with your body's ability to maintain or receive vitamins and minerals, such as calcium and vitamin D. The lack of nutrients may place you at risk for falls and hip fractures. You may also be susceptible to illnesses that develop from a weakened immune system.
To help you avoid the issues above, an assisted living facility may devise meals plans for you.
How Can an Assisted Living Facility Improve Your Diet?
An assisted living facility may design meal plans that provide the nutrition you need based on your current health status and medical needs. For instance, if you take medications for diabetes or high blood sugar, a facility may add foods to your diet that lower your body's glucose levels. In a number of cases, a facility may work with your doctors to ensure that you receive the correct diet each day.
If you don't require a special diet, a facility may give you the option to choose what you like to eat through personal meal planning. You may receive daily, weekly or monthly menus that list a variety of meal choices that include beverages, main courses and desserts. Keep in mind that every assisted living facility is different when it comes to personal meal planning, so it's important that you speak to a facility representative to find out more.
For more details about assisted living and nutrition, contact a facility such as Stillwaters Colonial Residence.
