A meal planning program with dietitian-approved menus can be a smart solution for assisted living facilities and senior care centers.

Wound healing in older adults is impaired, as the body’s inflammatory response to injury naturally weakens with age. Seniors can recover from most wounds, but the process happens more slowly and the risk of infection is greater.

Food choices and nutritional status play a big role in wound healing – yet many seniors have difficulty eating a healthy diet. A meal planning system with dietitian-approved menus addresses this challenge, promoting better wound recovery in older adults.

Healthy Meals and Snacks

For faster wound healing, seniors need to consume enough calories. Depending upon their gender and level of activity, this may be somewhere between 1,600 and 2,800 calories.

A balanced diet is just as essential as adequate caloric intake – and that’s where a meal planning system comes in. With dietitian-approved recipes, serving up healthy, meals and snacks that include a range of proteins, fruits, vegetables dairy products and whole grains is much easier.

Optimal Nutrition

Nutrition is a major factor in determining how quickly older adults recover from wounds.

Protein is particularly important. For better wound healing, every meal should include about 20 to 30 grams, and every snack needs to contain about 10 to 15 grams. And with some wounds, a higher amount of certain vitamins and minerals may be necessary. Using a meal planning program that has adjustable recipes allows assisted living facilities and senior care centers to easily optimize nutrition to meet the specific needs of their residents.

Proper Hydration

Staying well-hydrated can also help older adults recover from wounds.

Water, tea, coffee, milk and 100-percent fruit juice are all smart options, but convincing seniors to consume enough of these beverages – and not less-healthy options like sugary soda or fruit-flavored juice — is often difficult. To encourage proper hydration, meal planning systems have plenty of delicious dietitian-approved drink recipes that appeal to the senior palate.

Wound healing can be a serious problem for residents of assisted living facilities and senior care centers. Implementing a meal planning program that features dietitian-approved menus and easily-adaptable recipes – like the Grove Menus system – is an effective way to encourage problem-free wound recovery.

With Grove Menus, planning meals that address the unique health concerns of older adults is much simpler. And, along with meal planning, our software system includes a suite of user-friendly food service tools designed to help streamline production, reduce waste and cut costs.

For more information about the Grove Menus meal planning system, or to schedule a free, no-hassle demonstration of how our dietitian-approved menus can help promote wound healing, contact us today.