How a Dinner Table Can Promote Wellness For Seniors

While the daily nourishment of our bodies (and brains) comes through the actual intake of quality calories, vitamins and minerals, there is more to nourishment than what we choose to eat. It is also how we choose to eat.

When consuming food our bodies often experience many pleasant sensory changes. The process can begin even before a meal is served when a person anticipates their dining experience through visual and/or aromatic elements. When the brain is triggered it sends signals to salivary glands in the mouth in preparation for the digestive process. This is where the expression ‘a mouth watering’ meal was derived.

Taking care in coordinating the visual colors and textures of the items included on the plate in a complimentary manner is also a big plus. It makes the visual experience of the soon to be consumed meal desirable. In addition for seniors, the choice of the type or color of plate used can play a role too. It is important that the plate be easy to visually differentiate from the table it sits on. A certain level of confidence needs to be present to allow a senior to feel they will be successful eating in the company of others as they balance deficits in any or all sensory modalities, creating challenges with seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touch.

This thoughtful food presentation, coupled with the companionship of dining with others stimulates brain activity in a more beneficial manner than when dining alone. Humans are inherently social beings, according to a collaborated article on Socialization And Altruistic Acts As Stress Relief by Harry Mills, PH.D, Natalie Reiss, PH. D, and Mark Domebeck, PH.D. Enjoying people’s company and maintaining a sense of connectedness to others is an important component of stress reduction. It decreases a sense of loneliness, and promotes feelings of safety, security, belonging, and enjoyment. Such interactions affect the balance of hormones and social support can increase levels of the hormone oxytocin which functions to decrease general anxiety levels.

Many aging seniors reside at home alone, with limited visitation from friends or family. While meals may be provided, socialization and companionship are often lacking, and loneliness and depression often set in. Many local senior center’s do serve meals and/or offer activities onsite which promotes opportunities for seniors to have interactions with and eventually even form relationships with peers. Choosing to live in a senior living community, independent or assisted, will also provide these same social interaction opportunities. If you’d like to learn more about senior living options available in Lenawee County, MI or Oakland County, MI, feel free to call Cambrian Senior Living at 517-423-5300.