Forgetfulness can be attributed to many things; it could be due to a lack of sleep, genetics, level of physical activity and lifestyle, and environmental factors.

However, there's no doubt that diet also plays a role in brain health. It’s critical for operators to understand the trends and science, especially when it comes to nutrition, to help maintain and improve the brain health of their residents.

Research is finding that the Mediterranean diet may help keep aging brains sharp, and a growing body of evidence links foods such as those in the Mediterranean diet with better cognitive function, memory and alertness. What principles of the Mediterranean diet can operators include in their meal planning to provide the proper nutrition to aging residents?

• Serve veggies. Offering adequate vegetables, especially cruciferous ones including broccoli, cabbage, kale and dark leafy greens, may help improve memory among residents.
• Prioritize berries and cherries. Berries — especially dark ones such as blackberries and blueberries, as wells as cherries — are a source of anthocyanins and other flavonoids that may support memory function. Offer residents a handful of berries or pitted cherries for a snack, mixed into cereal, as the primary ingredient in a smoothie or baked into an antioxidant-rich dessert.
• Provide adequate omega-3 fatty acids. Essential for good brain health, omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA may help improve memory. Seafood, algae and fatty fish — including salmon, bluefin tuna, sardines and herring — are some of the best sources of the omega-3 fatty acid, DHA.
• Work in walnuts. Well-known for a positive impact on heart health, walnuts may also improve cognitive function. Serving a handful of walnuts as a snack to satisfy midday hunger, adding them to oatmeal or a salad for crunch or mixing them into a vegetable stir-fry for extra protein are all easy-to-implement ideas to increase consumption of walnuts in your community.
• Break an egg. One egg has only 75 calories, but 7 grams of high-quality protein, 5 grams of fat, and 1.6 grams of saturated fat, along with iron, vitamins, minerals and carotenoids. The egg is a powerhouse of disease-fighting nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin. These carotenoids may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. And brain development and memory may be enhanced by the choline content of eggs.

Nutrition cannot be overlooked and is paramount in fostering a safe, healthy community where residents can thrive. Even adopting one or two of the food principles from the Mediterranean diet can make a huge difference in the well-being of your residents.

March 03, 2022