Many elders have a weakened immune system which puts them at a higher risk for food poisoning from undercooked foods like eggs, meat and poultry. In addition, people over 65 have a higher risk of foodborne illness such as E Coli or Salmonella, because they are unable to follow these four safety steps: clean, separate, cook and chill. A foodborne illness can be lengthy and require a hospitalization and going untreated can result in death.

As we age, changes to the sense of smell and taste can hamper the ability to determine if a food is spoiled and limited vision makes it difficult to determine expiration dates. In addition to the loss of taste buds as we age, our hormones change and that alters the hunger signals to the brain. The result is not feeling as hungry which contributes to food being kept too long in the home. In addition, a limited income can make it hard to get fresh food, resulting in a reluctance to purge expired pantry and refrigerator items.

Springpoint at Home’s Aging Life Care Advisors ™ are aware of these potential problems and during a home visit will check food items for spoilage and expiration dates. They are also prepared to take an elder food shopping and help them make good nutritional choices like staying away from citrus fruits if they are on long-term antihypertensive medications.

If your elder is unable to practice these five food safety practices: cook, clean, separate, chill and check, then it may be time to investigate Meals on Wheels or a private company that delivers nutritious meals. Of course, the summer months remind us to be on top of food safety since hot weather quickly affects food left out for too long. But this is a health issue that is important all year round. Let Springpoint at Home help manage food safety and avoid any potential problems.

Click here For more information on Springpoint at Home and the services we offer, please call: 844-724-1777.