A new healthy eating guide for older people living independently has been produced by COPE Galway Community Catering, in partnership with Galway University Hospitals.
The purpose of the booklet is to raise awareness about the risks of malnutrition in older people, offer useful tips and recipes for healthy eating, and provide information about the benefits and availability of Meals on Wheels in Galway.
The booklet follows on from a pilot at GUH where older people admitted to hospital were identified if in need of nutritional support and were referred for Meals on Wheels on discharge.
COPE Galway supports healthy independent living at home. Their Community Catering Meals on Wheels service produces and delivers nutritious meals enabling older people to live independently in their own homes.
Speaking at the launch of ‘Good Food and Healthy Eating for older people living independently’, Geraldine Ryan, COPE Galway Community Catering Executive Chef said: “The booklet offers top tips on how to eat well, healthy snack ideas, and handy foods to have in your cupboard in case you can’t get to the shops, information on Meals on Wheels, along with lots more! It will be of interest to older people, their families and carers.”
The healthy eating booklet explains that malnutrition occurs when you are not eating enough of the right foods to meet what your body needs to stay well. Some common signs of malnutrition are feeling tired, getting frequent illnesses and infections, finding it hard to keep warm, being low on energy to do normal daily activities, losing your appetite, and finding it hard to concentrate.
Edel Mannion, Clinical Nurse Specialist in frail elderly in GUH said at the launch: “Healthy eating for older adults was identified as critical to overall health and wellbeing and quality of life.”
The acute healthcare facility at GUH provides an opportunity to attain and sustain healthful eating habits. In particular, for patients with chronic diet-related diseases, learning to eat well can improve well-being and enhance quality of life.
However, in Ireland, 11% of patients admitted to hospital were found to be malnourished and between 63% and 84% were found to be at nutritional risk. Under-nutrition and acute rapid weight loss of as little as 2-3kg (5%) in combination with disease:
■ increases the risk of complications
■ lowers resistance to infection
■ impairs physical and mental functioning
■ delays recovery
■ may be life-threatening
The booklet is being distributed widely to health care professionals such as public health nurses and GPs, and community groups who will also be able to make it available to those who need it. Anyone interested in a copy can contact COPE Galway Community Catering at 091 700800.
COPE Galway thanked all who were involved in the project, especially the nursing practice development department at GUH and Mary Frances O’Reilly DON (Nursing & Midwifery Planning & Development Unit), who sponsored the production of the booklet.
The booklet is also available to download from the Saolta website www.saolta.ie
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