Poor nutrition is a major national health concern with an estimated 1 in 2 (50%) Australians to have at least 1 of 8 selected common chronic conditions. They also state that 30% of those people are aged 60 years or older and are at severe risk of malnutrition.
Chronic conditions are Australia’s leading cause of ill health and have severe implications for our health system. Many of these chronic conditions are linked to lifestyle factors such as; Alcohol use, obesity, insufficient physical activity and poor diet. Those who are averse to these lifestyle factors tend to become sick more often and take longer to recover than those who are well-nourished.
According to the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), to help prevent this undernourishment, nutrition needs to be prioritised for Australians to lead healthier lives. Hello care reports on the DAA’s proposed policy and what the necessary steps are to make a National Nutrition Policy a reality.
Good nutrition is important to optimise health, independence and quality of life and awareness of any nutrition-related health problems and identifying them can be a big help in preventing the downward spiral. Good nutrition improves healing, helps to preserve bone mass, muscle mass and increases strength thus reducing the risk of falls and fractures and improves your overall wellbeing.
Our Woodvale social centre caters for our ageing community and we understand the importance of daily nutrition and work with our customer dietary requirements to support them in maintaining a healthy diet.
For us, “Good Nutrition” means that our customers consume food from the following food groups on a daily basis:
- Meat (beef, veal, pork, lamb, rabbit, kangaroo) fish and other seafood, poultry (chicken, duck, turkey)
- Milk, yoghurt, cheese, custard and ice-cream
- Bread, cereals, rice, pasta and noodles, eggs, nuts and legumes (e.g. chickpeas, baked beans and butter beans)
- Vegetables
- Fruits
This ensures that our customers are receiving the right amount of protein, vitamins and minerals that their bodies need to remain healthy. We also provide individual meal plans if a customer has a specific health requirement e.g diabetes, dairy/wheat intolerances etc. Either way, we are passionate about nutrition and ensuring that all our customers maintain not only a healthy and happy lifestyle but diet as well.
If you are concerned about a loved one’s nutrition or you may be interested in our Social centre, give us a call on 1800 968 754.
