Table of contents:
- Various causes of difficulty eating that are often experienced by the elderly
- 1. Dental health problems
- 2. Decreased ability of the sense of taste
- 3. No appetite
As you get older, the health problems you face will increase. One of them is the problem of difficulty eating. Yes, it is often experienced by people who are elderly. Of course, this problem cannot be considered minor, because the difficulty of eating in the elderly can cause other health problems, especially if handled properly. Then, what are the causes of difficulty eating problems that occur in the elderly? How to solve it?
Various causes of difficulty eating that are often experienced by the elderly
One age group that is vulnerable to malnutrition is the elderly group. This is because eating disorders are very common. Difficulty eating problems can have a variety of causes, and here are the most common causes.
1. Dental health problems
Do not underestimate oral health problems. Often elderly people are lazy to clean their mouth area, so that ultimately the health of their teeth and mouth is not properly maintained. In fact, this will indirectly affect the function of the mouth and tongue.
For example, a mouth full of bacteria will make the incoming food taste worse and ultimately affect the overall taste of the food. In addition, bacteria will also make it difficult for the elderly to swallow, taste, and chew their food.
Make sure, to clean the mouth and teeth area properly by regularly brushing your teeth. Checking your teeth every six months can also be done to keep it clean. If you have oral health problems, make food in a softer form or in small pieces, so that it doesn't make it easier for the elderly to chew.
2. Decreased ability of the sense of taste
Usually, getting into old age, a person will experience a decrease in the ability to taste. The tongue as a sense of taste, consists of small nodules made of nerve endings. From that part of the tongue, the taste of the food will be sent to the brain and then the brain will tell you what taste the food has.
Well, but unfortunately in the elderly the ability of the nerves will decrease, as well as the nerves on the surface of the tongue. So, the tongue is no longer too sensitive to food tastes. This makes the elderly often feel that their food is bland, lacks seasoning, or even has no taste at all. Finally, it causes difficulty eating.
If you cannot improve your taste buds again, then you should provide foods that have attractive colors and decorations, so that people are interested in consuming them. Meanwhile, to trick the tongue that is increasingly insensitive, you can add more spices to the food, so the food has a stronger taste.
3. No appetite
Elderly who have difficulty eating, usually because their appetite is very low. Yes, this can be caused by various things, such as the tongue is no longer sensitive to taste. To fix this, give the elderly smaller portions of food, but with frequent frequencies.
In addition, you can count on mealtime with family, in order to make your elderly parents to have an appetite. Usually, family encouragement and eating in a comfortable environment can motivate older people to eat more food.
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