Cecily O'Connor
RedwoodAge.com

A group of eldercare professionals are cooking up a recipe to make sure aging Americans are eating right.

Family caregivers estimate that 72 percent of seniors rely on assistance to get groceries, while 57 percent of seniors rarely cook for themselves, according to the program's research.

"Inability to shop and cook can be major challenges to eating healthy, especially among older adults who have recently been discharged from the hospital," said Dr. Nadine Sahyoun, a nutrition and food science professor at the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, which is working with Home Instead Health Care and the Duke University Medical Center on the "Cooking Under Pressure" campaign.

Home Instead, based in Omaha, created the program to help caregivers who are sometimes stressed-out by the demands of tending to an elderly loved one. In between errands, appointments and household chores, good nutrition can slip through the cracks. Meanwhile, older adults who live on their own often lack the resources to prepare a balanced meal.

Sahyoun's research of hospital-discharged older adults who qualify for home-delivered meals showed that 80 percent of those individuals had food in their kitchens, but they were unable to shop or utilize those groceries for cooking.

"There are many other challenges to eating well and these include loss of appetite, memory problems, dental health and use of certain medications," she added.

'First Line of Defense'
Caregivers also report that seniors' health is hurt by issues such as illness and multiple medications. Approximately 62 percent of adult children tending to an older adult have spotted at least three nutritional risks. These include taking three or more prescribed or over-the-counter drugs per day, an illness or condition that made the senior change his or her diet, and having lost or gained more than 10 pounds in the past six months without trying.

When it comes to healthy aging, nutritious and delicious meals are "really the first line of defense," said Paul Hogan, Home Instead's chief executive officer.

The Cooking Under Pressure campaign includes a handbook of nutrition tips and healthy recipes. A Foods for Seniors Web site provides additional information, research and resources such as shopping lists of staples seniors need.

'Downward Trajectory'
"Without good nutrition, health can deteriorate very quickly, making seniors more susceptible to disease and infection," Sahyoun said. "And without intervention, malnutrition can result in a downward trajectory leading to poor health and mortality."

Often times, social support and assistance with shopping or preparing meals can make a difference. This includes taking part in senior center meal program, or receiving Meals on Wheels.

It's also important for seniors and their family caregivers to be educated about selecting food rich in nutrients. For example, while older adults generally require less food as they age and they can't eat as much, their needs for vitamins and minerals don't decrease, Dr. Sahyoun said. In some cases, those needs increase.

Resources offered through the campaign, "really should provide family caregivers with the tools and information that will help equip their senior to stay strong and healthy," Hogan said.