Senior Issues Vol. 3, No.1
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SENIOR ISSUES NEWSLETTER
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"Senior Issues" is an extension newsletter written by the following Penn State
Cooperative Extension agents who comprise the Northwest Pennsylvania Aging
Cluster Team:
Janice Alberico, Lawrence County Phone: (412) 654-8370
Nancy Covert, Jefferson County Phone: (814) 849-7361
Holly Hedstrom, Erie County Phone: (814) 825-0900
Janet McDougall, Mercer County Phone: (412) 662-3141
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Volume 1, Number 1, 1996
IN THIS ISSUE . . . .
Bon Appetit--Make Eating a Pleasure
Care Of Teeth And Mouth Vital To Good Health
Lower The Fat In Your Favorite Recipes
Keep Safe And Warm This Winter!!
BON APPETIT--MAKE EATING A PLEASURE
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Do you find yourself in a rut when it comes to eating? Special diets,
medications, dental problems, lack of appetite, diminished senses of smell and
taste, boredom, and loneliness can all contribute to taking the pleasure out
of eating. It's important to take steps to enjoy eating so that you'll be
more likely to get adequate nutrients in your diet.
Add variety to your diet by trying new and different foods. Try new recipes
and preparation methods to make meals more interesting. Libraries have lots
of cookbooks and magazines filled with recipes.
Invite a friend to join you for meals occasionally. Pleasant conversation and
the company of another person can help you enjoy your food more. Whether
eating alone or with company, set the table with attractive placemats or
tablecloth, colorful napkins, and perhaps flowers or candles.
Be aware that some medications may alter your sense of taste. Also, as we
age, it is not unusual for the senses of taste and smell to begin to diminish
around age 60 and become quite notice-able by age 70. An older person may
need 2-3 times the flavor to make food taste as good as it did in their 20's.
Try these tips to increase your eating pleasure:
* Add texture to your meals such as crunchy vegetables, crisp crumb
toppings on casseroles or crunchy salads.
* Enhance the taste of food with flavors such as bacon, cheese or butter
flavors. Double flavorings such as vanilla, almond or maple in recipes
to increase the flavor.
* Take a bite of meat, then vegetable, then salad, then rice when eating a
meal to break up the monotony.
* Serve foods with different temperatures. A meal of hot soup, cold
salad, and a room temperature roll offers temperature variations that
can stimulate taste buds.
* Experiment with herbs and spices to add or enhance flavors. Use extra
amounts of your favorite seasonings to make your food more flavorful.
CARE OF TEETH AND MOUTH VITAL TO GOOD HEALTH
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To have proper nutrition and good health, you need to take good care of your
teeth and mouth. If you can't remember the last time you visited the dentist,
then you probably need to make an appointment. Regular check-ups can prevent
or minimize problems.
Gum disease caused by a build-up of plaque is a common cause of tooth loss
after age 35. Bacteria in plaque can irritate the gums which become inflamed
and bleed easily. To prevent gum disease, remove plaque thoroughly by
brushing and flossing your teeth each day. See your dentist if you see early
signs of gum disease such as red, swollen or bleeding gums.
Careful daily brushing with a soft-bristle brush and fluoride removes plaque.
Be sure to brush carefully along the gum line and lightly brush your tongue.
Proper flossing is also important to remove plaque and leftover food particles
that a toothbrush cannot reach. If you haven't flossed, ask your dentist to
show you how to do it properly.
Dry mouth is common in many adults. It may cause difficulty in eating,
swallowing, tasting and speaking. This could be a side effect of medication
and certain medical treatments. It can also be a symptom of emotional or
physical problems. Talk to your dentist if you have a dry mouth problem. To
relieve the dryness,
drink extra water and avoid sugary snacks, caffeinated beverages, tobacco and
alcohol.
Dentures need to be kept clean and free from food deposits that can cause
permanent staining, bad breath and gum irritation. Be sure to follow daily
cleaning recommendations from your dentist. Do not try to repair or adjust
dentures yourself as this can damage the dentures and injure the tissues of
the mouth.
Good dental care can provide more than a pleasant smile--it can help you
maintain your health!!
Source: AGE PAGE, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health
Service, National Institutes of Health.
LOWER THE FAT IN YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES
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If you think low fat eating means giving up all of your favorite foods, here
are some tips that you can use to modify your favorite family recipes to make
them lower in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.
* You often can reduce the fat and oil called for in a recipe by up to
1/4, 1/3 or even 1/2. You may want to gradually reduce the amount you
use in a recipe each time you make it. Keep notes so you know how
little fat or oil you can use without affecting the flavor or texture.
Some of the fat may be replaced with juice, water or milk if needed for
a moist texture.
* Replace one cup sour cream in recipes with one of these lowfat options:
- 3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese and 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
combined in a blender.
- One cup plain lowfat or nonfat yogurt; add 1 T cornstarch to prevent
separation in recipes that call for heating.
- One cup lowfat cottage cheese and 1 T skim milk and 2 T lemon juice.
* Replace one cup light cream with one cup evaporated skim milk
* Replace one cup heavy cream with 2/3 cup skim milk and 1/3 cup oil.
* Replace one cup whole milk with one cup skim milk or 1/3 cup dry milk
plus water to make one cup.
* Replace some or all of the fat or oil in a recipe with an equal amount
of applesauce. One cup oil equals 1900 calories but one cup apple-sauce
equals only 100 calories!!
* Use 1/2 cup plain lowfat or nonfat yogurt to replace two eggs and
1/2 cup oil in recipes.
* Use two egg whites to replace one whole egg.
* Replace mayonnaise with a reduced fat product or try yogurt or blended
lowfat cottage cheese as a substitute. If you prefer the high-fat
mayonnaise, try using less of it.
There are many other ways to reduce fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.
Start to make changes gradually. If you would try one new substitute a week,
you'll have made some major reductions in your fat intake in a few month's
time!!
KEEP SAFE AND WARM THIS WINTER!!
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Just as summer heat can take its toll on our health, the cold weather of
winter also poses some risks. Keeping your body warm is not just a matter of
comfort, it is important to prevent hypothermia.
Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature goes below 95!F. Older people
and infants are at greatest risk of suffering from hypothermia.
Symptoms of hypothermia are shivering, slow or slurred speech, and poor
muscular condition. Additional signs include bloated face; pale and waxy skin
color or oddly pink color; trembling of an area of the body without shivering;
slow breathing; low body temperature; drowsiness; and ultimately coma.
With early symptoms of hypothermia, a victim should be moved to a warm
location and given warm drinks. An unconscious or semi-conscious person
needs immediate emergency medical attention.
Take these steps to prevent hypothermia as well as increase your comfort in
this winter's cold weather! Brrrrrrrrr!!
* Eat hot meals and drink hot liquids.
* Eat balanced meals with lots of fruits and vegetables and adequate
amounts of protein (meat and dairy products) and bread group foods.
* Avoid alcohol as it can worsen the effects of hypothermia by causing the
body to lose heat at a faster rate.
* Wear several layers of clothing that can be added to or removed as
needed. Clothes should be loose-fitting, not tight. Hats and nightcaps
may be worn indoors to help preserve body heat. Shoes and socks will be
warmer than just socks. Put on dry socks if your feet are damp or
sweaty.
* When you have to be outdoors, wear hats, scarves and mittens. Slacks
rather than dresses should be worn.
* Move around!! Motion helps to increase body heat. Doing some light
exercise can increase body heat. Avoid over-exertion.
* Keep room temperature between 70 and 75!F. Reduce drafts by closing
drapes and shades at night and using rugs, towels or "draft dodgers" at
the bottom of doors.
In addition to taking these precautions, anyone who lives alone should set up
a system that has a friend, neighbor or nearby family member check on them at
least once a day with a phone call or visit.
Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs
and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have
questions about the physical access provided, please contact the extension
office in advance of your participation or visit.
This publication is available in alternative media on request.
The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons
shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment
without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance
or qualifications as determined by University policy or by state or federal
authorities. The Pennsylvania State University does not discriminate against
any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national
origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.
Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative
Action Director, The Pennsylvania State University, 201 Willard Bldg.,
University Park, PA 16802-2801; (814)863-0471 VOICE; (814)865-3175 TDD.
Where trade names are used, no discrimination is intended and no endorsement
by the Cooperative Extension Service is implied.
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Dr. Dan Lago, Ph.D., Penn State Extension Aging Specialist
Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences
323 Ag Administration Building, University Park, PA 16802
(814) 863-7871
Internet Address: djl@psu.edu