Assisted Living: Eating disorders in seniors.

It is a common misconception that people believe eating disorders are generally only found in young women. New research has found that eating disorders occur equally in individuals of every race, gender, age, and social class. Most importantly eating disorders in elderly adults can go unnoticed. There is significant evidence that suggests eating disorders increases among women aged 30 and above. This trend has been increasing over the past few decades. Poor nutrition is shown to cause the progression of chronic illnesses common in the elderly, such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and organ disease other than the impact on the eating disorder itself. Psychological problems can also cause elderly adults to lose interest in food and eating. Most elderly who feel lonely, or have lost their loved ones lose their interest in food. Some elderly with diseases or loss of teeth can have difficulty consuming certain types of meal.

Assisted living care addresses many of the root causes of eating disorders in seniors.

Assisted living communities like Melrose Gardens in Los Angeles place a major emphasis on providing professionally prepared meals like seniors would enjoy in a resort, restaurant, or other fine dining activity. Some seniors living alone may not have eating disorders, but they may not be enjoying a healthy diet or eating well regularly because shopping for groceries and cooking meals has become too difficult. As a result, seniors may eat take out very frequently, eat mostly premade foods at home, or even skip meals because they don’t have the energy to shop and cook.

Download our Menu here to see the thought and care that goes into our meal planning.

Older adults may lose interest in eating if they have to plan meals, shop for all the supplies, prepare the meals, and clean everything up. That can be exhausting for people at any age. It’s common to observe assisted living residents find a renewed interest in eating when high quality, interesting foods are prepared for them daily. A high quality diet is closely associated with good health, and an intelligently designed dining program in an assisted living community improves senior’s quality of life by allowing them to enjoy the dining experience and helps promote excellent health and diet.

Contact Us or Tour Our Community for More Information About Our Dining Program

If you have and older family member who has lost interest in eating, doesn’t have the energy or ability to prepare high quality meals on a regular basis, or may be experiencing poor health due in part to diet, please contact us for more information about our dining program or tour our community to see how our residents enjoy our chef prepared meals.

Reference:

Dudrick, S. (2014). Older clients and eating disorders. Today’s Dietitian, 15(11), 44.

Middle-aged women and eating disorders. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/special-issues/older-women

Maria I. Lapid, Maria C. Prom, M. Caroline Burton, Donald E. McAlpine, Bruce Sutor and Teresa A. Rummans (2010). Eating disorders in the elderly. International Psychogeriatrics, 22, pp 523-536.

Rosen, N. (2010). Anorexia nervosa in the elderly. Retrieved from http://www.eatingdisordersrecoverytoday.com/anorexia-nervosa-in-the-elderly/