Purpose of Nutritional Health in Seniors/Final Project part 1

Purpose

Poor nutrition is a serious problem for the older population. Insufficient intake affects about 38% of the population who are above 65 years of age. Moreover, a grand number of the older Americans have chronic conditions. Hence, with the intervention of nutrition, there is an effective improvement in health and quality of life. A huge part of the population (about 88%) suffers from diabetes, hypertension or a combination of these and other conditions. These conditions can be brought to a decline with sufficient nutritional intervention. At the same time for several Medicare beneficiaries, nutritional therapy by experts not enlisted as benefits (Burke, et al, 2010). However, a number of basic nutrition services are not part of the reimbursement payments in health centers. The services offers are in a vast way inadequate to connect with the needs of the senior population.

Research

A healthy eating can never be fully satisfied. Regardless of the age, healthy nutrition is quite significant. However, for elderly people nutritional needs ought to be changed. The general health an elderly person influenced by the food one eats be it at 45 or 75, dormant or active. Eating healthy food and a change of life style can reduce the probability of getting some aging diseases. Healthy nutrition helps in the treatment and healing of certain diseases.

There are some types of nutrients that needed by seniors and younger people, variation being on the amounts. When a person gets old, they need fewer calories than young people, this is since less effort required for normal body operation (Yahoo, 2013). However, different from a common belief, the elderly need high levels of nutrients, the difficult part is formulating a plan for eating that offers sufficient nutrients. Additionally, calorie needs are reliant on the activity undertaken.

The eating plan can be met through going for foods that are rich in fibre and less fat like cereals and breads of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Similarly, proteins like eggs, meat and beans are important.

Stakeholders

Stakeholders are those that influence or affected by the health system. They are the policy makers, health practitioners and service receivers. The health policy makers like the government provide an effective environment for the health system to operate while health practitioners work in the health system and the service providers.

Operationalization

The operationalization for nutritional health focused on providing guidance to the nutritional element of Elderly Survival Strategy. It helps to implement the main strategies and interventions to manage weaknesses and uphold the prevailing actions for nutritional care for the old (Burke, et al, 2010). The model aimed at giving focus to evidence-based interventions that reduce malnutrition, and used in the arrangement provided by the stakeholders.

The operationalization for nutrition has the awareness of the health benefits stated in the survival strategy. This model focuses on adult and nutrition so as to meet the goals of the National Development Plan and MDGs.

The model operationalized interventions like knowledge generation, emergency support, treatment and promotion and monitoring.

Evaluation

This is an in depth nutritional assessment of information of the elderly’s food and nutrient intake, way of life and medical past.

Details acquired from the population involve organisation for better assessment and of the nutritional status of the individual (Yahoo, 2013). This brings about a plan of care meant to assist the person to stay healthy or become healthier.

References

Burke, L. et al (2010). Physical activity and nutrition behavioral outcomes of a home-based       intervention program for seniors: a randomized controlled trial. International Journal of     Behavioral Nutrition    and Physical Activity 2013, Vol. 10, No. 14 doi: 10.1186/1479-  5868-10-14

Yahoo (2013). Nutritional Assessment Health Article. Retrieved on 28th July 2013 from:    http://health.yahoo.net/galecontent/nutritional-assessment