Nutrition & Adult Day Health Programs
the role of your program in promoting health
Recent trends show that more Americans than ever are living longer lives. These days, few older adults live in nursing homes. The majority of older adults live in a community setting with a spouse, family members, or friends, or alone. Preventive health can help maintain or improve their independence and quality of life.
Nutrition and physical activity are important parts of preventive health. Since older adults in day health programs eat many of their meals in this setting, your program can help contribute to a healthful diet. Your program can also play a role (when appropriate) in encouraging physical activity to help improve well-being, increase flexibility, improve bone health, and reduce the risk of falls leading to injuries or fractures.
Many older adults face changes that can affect their food intake and nutritional status. The changes may be physical, health-related, social, or psychological. The nature and extent of these changes will vary among adults. Good nutrition can address many of these changes to help older adults improve their health and maintain their quality of life.
This manual will focus on nutrition and health, nutrients in foods, special needs of older adults, and cultural issues and foods that may be relevant to your program. It will show you how to apply this information to plan healthful meals, and to choose foods that qualify for reimbursement from the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The manual is accompanied by educational materials that you can share with staff, older adults, and caregivers. As you expand your knowledge about nutrition, foods, and cultural issues, you can play a greater role in promoting your participants’ health and well-being.
