Dietitian & Nutritionist
For Healthy Aging and Older Adults
Healthy aging is “the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables wellbeing in older age.”
World Health Organization (WHO)
Aging
We are all aging. Populations are aging faster than ever before. In 37 years, from 1980 to 2017, the population of people aged 60 years or older doubled. In the subsequent 32 years, from 2018 to 2050, the population of people aged 60 years or older is expected to double again.
Aging is a complex progressive process that has great variability between people. However, the general trends of aging include increasing chronic diseases and disability. Eight out of ten older adults have at least one chronic condition, five out of ten have two or more chronic conditions, and sixty-two percent of the most common causes of death of adults over the age of 65 years are known to have nutritional influence.
Life expectancy is the average number of years one is expected to live. Health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) is the average number of years a person can expect to live in full health free of disability. Life expectancy is increasing, HALE is also increasing but not at the same rate so as a result there is increase in the average number of years lived with disability.
Nutrition and Aging
Nutrition is one of the major determinants of healthy aging. Nutrition can prevent or manage diseases, maintain functional ability, enhance one’s quality of life, and boost longevity. Even small changes to your diet pattern can have an impact. It is never too early or too late to modify your diet pattern to impact your health and aging.
Nutrition needs change throughout the lifecycle. As we age the body becomes less adaptable to stress making it increasingly important to optimize nutrition as nutrition is a known modulator of health in older adults. Older adults’ nutrition needs are multidimensional and the risks of poor nutrition in older adults are greater with less opportunity for recovery. Consideration of older adults’ nutritional needs is warranted to optimize resiliency.
Services Available
Calgary based dietitian consultant providing services in Calgary, Edmonton, and across Alberta.
