A study in the Canadian Journal of Public Health reports that an inadequate diet can compound the health problems of seniors with age-related memory loss and even hasten death.

The Canadian Study of Health and Aging, a national survey of Canadians 65 years of age and older, assessed the mental and physical health of more than 700 men and women. All were affected by memory loss, and more than 40% showed signs of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease or a similar illness. The researchers did not evaluate the participants' diets, but they did look for factors that are good indicators of nutrition status: low serum albumin level (reduced levels of this blood protein can indicate malnutrition); low body weight or weight loss within the last six months; and poor appetite. Study participants were considered to be at nutritional risk if they met any one of these criteria. Over the next five years, those who were identified as being at nutritional risk were more likely to die than those in better nutritional shape.

Nutritionists consider the factors assessed in this study--low albumin, declining weight, poor appetite--as "red flags" that signal an underlying issue, such as chronic illness or poorly fitting dentures, that can interfere with a person's ability to eat well. While it is not always possible to fix everything that's wrong with a person's diet, this study shows that nutrition status can affect the overall health of memory-impaired seniors.

In the abstract, the solution seems simple, but anyone who cares for persons debilitated by an illness such as Alzheimer's disease knows that getting them to eat an adequate amount of food can be an ongoing struggle. They're often less able to chew and swallow without choking, and may experience dulled senses of taste and smell that can make once familiar foods unappealing. To add to the problem, people absorb and utilize certain nutrients less efficiently as they get older, so they don't necessarily get the full nutritional benefits of all the foods they eat.

With these considerations in mind, people who care for an older person with dementia or related illness should pay special attention to eating patterns and other factors that influence adequate nutrition status. A website sponsored by the New York State Office for the Aging posts a checklist that can help individuals determine if they or someone they care for is at risk for malnutrition. They also suggest solutions to some of the nutrition problems that commonly affect older people. Another good resource is the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. Their website provides a useful overview of nutrition issues to keep in mind when caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease, and offers some practical feeding strategies adapted for the unique nutrition problems of mentally-impaired seniors.