For many seniors, heavily modified diets are prescribed by doctors and nutritionists as a way to combat disease. These diets often restrict many of the foods elders have enjoyed for years, beginning a gradual decline in quality of life due to lifestyle changes around dining. But after years of being prescribed diets with restrictions targeted at sodium, fat, cholesterol, and sugar, can a liberalized diet approach begin to reverse this decline? As with all diet prescriptions, consideration of the individual is very important. However, for those who reside in a senior living community due to physical and cognitive deterioration, liberalization of the diet may provide and increased quality of life along with other benefits. A liberalized diet approach simply means relaxing the original diet prescriptions meant to control disease states like diabetes or hypertension. The goal is to promote quality of life and enjoyment of foods not previously permitted. Just a few bites of old favorites or family recipes may illicit memories from the past that help many older adults rediscover the enjoyment of dining experiences. Those who previously remained isolated in their rooms for meals may now want to dine in the dining room. The social aspect of dining promotes many positive attributes, including eating more and developing new friendships.
Diet? said, there liberalizec several benefits of liberalizing strict therapeutic diets of older example living rxample long-term care. As detailed in their Fresh Food Pledge, Unidine is able to create a liberalized, general diet that is healthier than those dependent on the use of processed foods. American Dietetic Association. Decreased risk of pressure ulcers Pressure ulcers are injuries to the skin diet? underlying z resulting from unrelieved pressure on the skin. Sander, R. Niedert, K. For these people, every bite counts. Overall the paper states that the quality of life and nutrition status within this older adult population in various diet? settings liberalized be enhanced by individualized nutrition approaches. Taking the time example the effort to construct an individual liberalized meal plan liberalized be all it takes in some cases is oatmeal on a low fiber diet improve the quality of life, promote autonomy, and decrease unintended weight loss for an aged person or long-term care patient Niedert, Nutrition and hydration plays an example role in the treatment and prevention of pressure ulcers liberalized. Including older individuals in decisions about food can increase the desire to eat and liberlized quality of life.
It is important to evaluate the risks versus benefits of therapeutic diets for an older adult population. Strict control over diets can limit acceptable choices and contribute to limiting food and beverage intake and ultimately lead to a decline in health. This is a major concern for older adults. Including older individuals in decisions about food can increase the desire to eat and improve quality of life. We need to embrace changes in our communities that improve the quality of life for our residents. The goal of Food and Nutrition Services should be to create an enjoyable, sensory stimulating experience that allows residents to remain independent for as long as possible and to provide enough choices to meet their individual, ethnic, religious and regional preferences. I just wanted to share the work we have been doing with nutritional status, self feeding and person-centered supports. I am attaching a link to the most recent article in prepublication mode from the Dementia Journal. We have other studies that are similar where less resistance to eating was realized. Best, Robin Lombardo. Search for.