How to Deal with Food-Related Conditions and the Elderly

Being in the elderly years may pose some changes to the individual and his/her family. Aside from the usual health conditions, one may experience forgetfulness – that to include expiry dates, dates when foodstuffs were bought, and the like. There can also come a time when spoilage occurs, most especially when the elderly feels changes in mobility.

During such times, it would be helpful to take note that the elderly who have weakened immune systems have the greatest risk when it comes to food-borne illnesses. Those who have chronic conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease have difficulties in getting protection against infections. Once bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli invade the compromised elderly, the digestive system will have a difficulty in fighting them off since gastric acid production has been at a halt to defend the body.

With this, family members, health care providers, and friends should consider various signs of food-borne illnesses too. These include fever, stomach cramps, nausea, headache, diarrhea, or vomiting. Special precautions can be implemented by home care services and others especially when dealing with the elderly’s nutrition and health as a whole.