Barrier Free Architecturals
July 27, 2011

Healthy Eating for Older Adults

Healthy Food Choices. Image Credit: Concious Communities.

Growing older is a lifestyle adjustment.  Here at Barrier Free Architecturals, we can help you improve your mobility and regain your independence via our innovative and accessible products including walk-in bathtubs, handicap showers for ADA bathrooms, and accessories for accessible bathrooms. Our goal is to improve the quality of life for seniors and people with disabilities, both at home and at work.

One of our goals in establishing this blog is to create a lifestyle resource for older adults.  In keeping with that theme we would like to spend some time talking about nutrition and healthy eating for senior citizens.

The Government of Alberta has set up an excellent website called Healthy Alberta.  It’s a complete guide to healthy living, with extensive information on nutrition.

Important topics include:

According to Healthy Alberta, Canadians are living longer than ever before.  The website says that by 2021, an estimated “6.9 million Canadians will be over 65.” While good nutrition is important at any age, it is particularly important in older adults.

What many people fail to realize is that the nutritional needs of seniors are different from that of younger adults.  Generally, an older man or woman does not require as many calories per day but does require the same amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients.  In order to achieve this nutritional balance, seniors must:

  • Opt from smaller or reduced portions of foods from the four food groups (meats, dairy, grains and vegetables) while consulting with Canada’s Food Guide;
  • Limit foods that contain few nutrients, are overly processed or loaded with saturated fats, and provide unnecessary calories;
  • Drink adequate amounts of water (this is very important as older adults are more susceptible to becoming dehydrated); and
  •  Take a daily vitamin D supplement.

Click here to read more about Healthy Alberta.  Happy eating!

Filed under Mobility Issues and News
Tags: , , , ,
July 20, 2011

Improve and Maintain Ocular Health with Vitamin C

Eye. Image Source: Public domain.

Proper nutrition is important at any age – especially in older adults.  A recent article posted on the Fox News website cites a study from India which links a lack of vitamin C to an increase in developing cataracts.

Cataracts, the “clouding” of the eye lens, are a common vision problem in aging adults.  It has been thought that a diet high in antioxidants and vitamin C can help reduce the risk of developing condition, but study results have been largely inconclusive.

In this new, India-based study, researchers looked at more than 5,600 adults aged 60 and older.  Participants were interviewed about diet, lifestyle and family health history, in addition to having their blood measured for levels of vitamin C.

Close to 73 per cent of the study’s participants were diagnosed with having cataracts, a risk that dropped as vitamin C intake increased:

“In the roughly one-quarter of older adults with the highest vitamin C levels, the risk of cataract was 39 percent lower than in people with the lowest levels of the nutrient. That was with factors like income, smoking habits, high blood pressure and diabetes taken into account.

But vitamin C levels were generally very low. More than half of the study participants were deficient, and the bottom 30 percent of the group had vitamin C concentrations below the level of detection (2 micromoles per liter).”

While the findings do no conclusively prove that vitamin C can help prevent cataracts, senior researcher Astrid E. Fletcher believes that it is “biologically plausible”:

“Laboratory and animal studies show vitamin C plays a very important part in defending the lens of the eye against oxidative stress,” Fletcher explained in an email.

“The eye is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress as the ’seeing’ organ of the body,” she added. “Light is essential for vision but light is also very damaging. The lens absorbs ultraviolet radiation, a major source of oxidative stress.”

Fletcher does not recommend older adults “load up” on vitamin C supplements, as older adults in India face more significant nutritional challenges than adults living in more developed nations:

“India has the highest burden of blindness in the world,” Fletcher said, “and the main cause is cataract [and poor nutrition].”

Filed under Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , ,
July 11, 2011

Summer Activities for Older Adults

Polka Dancing at the Gibbon Ballroom at Gibbon in 1975. Image Credit: Flip Schulke via the US National Archives.

Summer is a great time of year to get in shape!

We’ve often talked about the importance of being active, at any age.  Physical activity is an important component of independent living for older adults.  Here are some fun, low impact activities that older adults of any fitness level can partake in.

Note: Before beginning any exercise routine, it is important to consult a health care practitioner first.  When outside in the summer heat, make sure to wear cool, breathable clothing, sunscreen, and keep hydrated!

  1. Swimming. Swimming is a great exercise that is easy on the joints, burns calories quickly and improves circulation.
  2. Golf. Studies have shown that golf can help improve stamina and muscular endurance.
  3. Ballroom Dancing. Ballroom dancing is a great social exercise that can be easily enjoyed by people of all fitness levels.
  4. Yoga. Yoga is a fantastic low-impact exercise that helps regulate breathing, promotes relaxation and helps to build and tone muscle
  5. Tai Chi. There is good reason so many older adults take part in tai chi!  In addition to being a calming exercise, tai chi has been known to improve balance, digestion and promote overall well-being.
  6. Canoeing. Canoeing is a great way to get out and discover local wetlands.
  7. Bowling. Bowling is another great social exercise that promotes muscle building and accuracy.
  8. Bocce Ball. A great game to play at a family BBQ, Bocce ball provides hours of fun and can help burn calories too!
  9. Walking. A brisk fifteen minute walk five days a week can help maintain a healthy weight, improve metabolism and help prevent the onset of age-related diseases.
  10. Gardening. People do not know gardening can count as exercise, but it can be quite demanding.  An hour or two of lifting, planting and watering a garden can burn a significant amount of calories.

Most cities have gyms and personal trainers that will work one-on-one with older adults to devise a personal exercise regimen.

Here’s wishing you a safe, happy and active summer!

Filed under Health and Mobility Tips
Tags: , , ,
July 6, 2011

The Importance of Staying Hydrated in the Summer

Watermelon Aqua Fresca. Image Credit: What's Cooking America.

It is important for people of all ages to stay hydrated and keep cool during the summer months, but a recent study suggests this may be extra important for older adults.

A study published on the Baylor College of Medicine website suggests that as adults age, hot weather can begin to affect them differently.  An older adult’s reaction to heat may be more severe than that of a younger adult, meaning that it is doubly important that seniors keep hydrated.

According to the report, aging can alter the body’s ability to maintain a steady temperature, which is why older adults are more susceptible to hyperthermia or, at the other end of the spectrum, over-heating.  These natural changes can lead to accelerated dehydration because as a person ages, they lose their sense of thirst and do not sweat as much.  Another factor that can lead to heat discomfort is the natural thinning of the skin with age.  This can cause older adults to feel cold, leading them to overdress during the summer months.

Keeping hydrated is part of an overall healthy, mobile lifestyle for older adults.  The article offers a few tips that seniors can follow to help avoid over heating:

  1. Wear loose, light coloured clothing
  2. Always wear sunglasses, hats and a full spectrum SPF protectant
  3. Try to limit direct exposure to the sun to 15 minute intervals.
  4. Keep the temperature in your home to room temperature (20 degrees)
  5. Drink 8-10 glasses of cool water throughout the day
  6. If you experience headaches, nausea, or dizziness, you may be suffering from heat exhaustion, and should seek medical attention.

The sun is always at its strongest between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.  During that time, it is best to avoid direct sunlight or stay indoors if possible.  Air conditioning and fans work wonders to help cool an area, but, if those facilities are not available, most cities have cooling centres available.

For more information about older adults and heat/cold sensitivity, visit the National Institute on Aging.

Filed under Health and Mobility Tips
Tags: , , , , ,
© 2009 Barrier Free Architecturals Inc.