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Guest Blog: Addressing Senior Malnutrition
When it comes to consuming sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals, turns out many seniors aren’t. Chronic disease, dietary restrictions, limited income and access to food, reduced social contact, and other factors can increase a senior’s risk for malnutrition. There are simple solutions however for addressing the problem – don’t miss this quick guide:
Should Seniors Take a Multivitamin?
While the research on the need for multivitamins in the average American adult’s diet goes back and forth, when it comes to senior health specifically, experts can agree on some things. With older age often comes diminished appetites, decreased digestive functioning (which can affect nutrient absorption), as well as less energy, bone loss, and reduced muscle mass.
While seniors should invest in core diet staples like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and lean proteins, they may also want to talk to their doctor about nutritional supplements like multivitamins.
Multivitamins for older adults can vary. Some multivitamins with added calcium and vitamin D are ideal for active women over 50, for example, while others may come with herbal ingredients that offer memory or energy improvement.
Easy Ways to Boost Nutrient Intake
While it might seem like nutrition shakes are the simplest solution for undernourished seniors, there are also fairly simple ways to incorporate more whole foods into a daily diet.
A high-powered blender is the ultimate nutritional tool a senior has at their disposal. These hi-tech devices process food at super speeds, helping to easily blend even the toughest ingredients like nuts and seeds. They are especially handy if you are a senior who struggles with dysphagia, the inability to safely swallow foods.
- High-power blenders allow you to mix loads of healthy ingredients like fresh fruits, veggies, beans, greek yogurt, nut butters and more into smoothies, shakes, soups, stews, and dips. This simplifies the process of putting a meal together and is a much healthier alternative to processed, packaged and frozen meals.
- Recruiting help from a care network can also help boost a senior’s nutritional intake, ensuring regular round-the-clock meals that offer variety in addition to nutrients. Free, online tools like CaringBridge.com and TakethemAMeal.com allow family caregivers, neighbors, or simply friends to coordinate a digital calendar where people can sign up to help a senior with meals.
- Local nonprofit services may be an alternative as well if a substantial care network is not in place. Meals on Wheels, for example, has chapters nationwide that deliver daily meals to seniors in need, and free senior transportation services are available in many regions and can help seniors get to the store to buy groceries or pick up food.
Guest Blog: 3 Prostate Cancer Warning Signs
About 13 out of every 100 men will get prostate cancer. The older you are, the more at risk your body is to getting prostate cancer. Luckily, there are some clear signs and symptoms you can watch out for to seek treatment early.
Keep reading to know exactly how prostate cancer changes your body so you can catch it at its earliest signs.
Experience Frequent Urination
Feeling like you need to use the restroom every five minutes? This could be a warning sign of prostate cancer. There are other reasons you could be having to urinate more often but if you have a healthy daily routine and the problem persists, you may want to consider the possibility.
The urge to urinate is even worse at night. You might find yourself getting up to go to the bathroom several times in the middle of the night.
This all happens because of how close the prostate gland is to your bladder and urethra. If a tumor is growing on your gland it will cause pressure on your bladder, making you feel like you have to pee more often.
This can also cause difficulty when you’re actually trying to go. You might notice you don’t have as much control over starting and stopping.
If the problems continue over a period of days you’ll want to set up an appointment with your doctor.
New Onset of ED
Another warning sign of prostate cancer is the onset of erectile dysfunction. You might have been performing just fine the week before, but all of a sudden you can’t seem to get the job done.
Prostate cancer will push against your groin and urethra, causing the flow of blood to the area to be blocked. Normally, erectile dysfunction starts happening to men who are around the same age as men who get prostate cancer.
The two aren’t always going to be directly linked so you’ll need to get a consult from a medical professional to determine the actual cause.
Discomfort When Sitting
When you sit down do you experience a bit of discomfort? Maybe you even feel a significant pain when you sit down. If you do, consider the signs could be from a more serious condition.
As the prostate gland becomes enlarged due to the abnormal growth, it will cause a pain in your groin area when you sit down. The gland is putting too much pressure on the other areas of your body, causing them to be sensitive when they are squished together while sitting.
Your entire pelvic area could swell if it turns out to be prostate cancer and you haven’t done anything about your pain. The gland will continue to get bigger as it progresses, causing you even more pain.
If your discomfort continues over several days you need to take action to prevent anything worse from happening.
Prostate Cancer Warnings
Your body will give you several warning signs and symptoms that you might have prostate cancer. You may experience ED, discomfort when sitting, or a frequent urge to urinate. If you do, consult a medical professional and set up an appointment as soon as possible
Guest Blog: 5 Frugal Retirement Living Tips for Seniors
White clock with words Time for Action on its face
A 2015 survey revealed that Americans fear to get broke during retirement. 55% of the 1000 respondents confessed they fear not having enough money for their needs. It is a fear many newly retired folks experience hence the need to adapt to a frugal lifestyle. Here are some tips how:
1. Do Away with Unnecessary Insurance Policies
While car and homeowner’s insurance policies remain vital for many retirees, other types may not be worth renewing after retirement. A life insurance policy is not as important, especially if you are debt-free.
2. Track Your Expenses
It is essential to keep track of all your expenses after retiring. A budget helps avoid dipping into your retirement savings more than you need to. You also get to control your spending habits in terms of choices. The more effort you put into tracking your spending, the easier it gets to determine areas you need to cut back on spending.
3. Identify Ways to Reduce Property Taxes
Retirees can keep their property taxes from increasing to grow their monthly disposable income. Some states offer property tax rebates for older residents. You should do your research so you can take advantage of these opportunities.
4. Shop Smart
Some hotels, drugstores and other services offer senior discounts. The qualifying age may vary from one company to another, but it’s worth a try.
5. Vacation Less
It’s natural to treat yourself to a vacation. Sadly, these costs add up pretty fast cutting into one’s retirement savings. Retirees receive discounts and special offers for travel and local outings, giving them more cash to spend without dipping into their savings excessively.
The tips discussed should help you formulate strategies for frugal living after retirement. According to Jane Byrne of FirstCare Kildare, always be realistic about whether your finances will allow you to maintain the same standard of living. Whether you have saved a reasonable amount, living on a fixed income requires you to reduce spending.