Help for older people to eat more healthily

A home care company in East Dunbartonshire has launched a new campaign to encourage older people to eat well '“ with statistics showing 50 per cent of over 75s fail to keep themselves properly nourished.
Pictured from left, Angelica Fraser, Joe Mullaney, and Megan Doris of Home Instead in Milngavie, who have launched a Stay Nourished campaign to encourage older people to eat healthily.Pictured from left, Angelica Fraser, Joe Mullaney, and Megan Doris of Home Instead in Milngavie, who have launched a Stay Nourished campaign to encourage older people to eat healthily.
Pictured from left, Angelica Fraser, Joe Mullaney, and Megan Doris of Home Instead in Milngavie, who have launched a Stay Nourished campaign to encourage older people to eat healthily.

An independent survey by Home Instead Senior Care also revealed that almost one-in-five of over 75s had not eaten a meal with anyone for three months or longer, with many saying they have less desire to eat or do not feel hungry when they are eating alone.

Additionally, one fifth of over 75s (20 per cent) are struggling to cook their own food and over a third (34 per cent) admit regularly skipping meals (at least once a week), with nearly one-in 10 doing so on a daily basis.

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Home Instead’s ‘Stay Nourished’ campaign aims to help educate the local community about the importance of nutrition, how to spot malnutrition and dispel misconceptions around diet and appetite for older generations.

They hope this knowledge will give families the confidence to talk openly to their elderly relatives about food and nutrition.

Suhail and Tasnim Rehman, owners of Home Instead said: “We want to bring back a love of food for older people here in the local community.

“At Home Instead, we ensure our clients eat well but not all older people have this support and families can often struggle to encourage elderly relatives to eat healthy meals regularly. As people age they experience changes to their sense of smell, taste and vision. This, combined with health issues and living alone can all impact on their desire to eat.

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“Good nutrition is essential to help older people live well and the guidance we will be providing as part of the Stay Nourished campaign looks at all aspects of healthy eating, malnutrition, food hygiene, food preparation and cooking methods. We are committed to helping older people to eat well, drink well and age well.”

Home Instead Senior Care is keen to deliver community workshops to local firms, groups and organisations and wants people to get in touch to book a free session. Call 0141 249 0574, or visit https://www.homeinstead.co.uk

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