J&A Oben Foundation sensitizes Older Persons on Good Nutrition for their Wellbeing.

J&A Oben Foundation sensitizes Older Persons on Good Nutrition for their Wellbeing.

The J&A Oben Foundation has sensitized more than 40 older persons on the importance of good nutrition for their well-being. This took place during a wellness campaign for the elderly organized in collaboration with the Diakonia Committee of PCC Nsimeyong to commemorate the International Day of Older Persons (IDOPs) at the Presbyterian Church Nsimeyong on the 29th of September 2023.

Speaking on “Nutrition for the Elderly, Mrs. Crista Tabi, Head of the Wellness Center of the J&A Oben Foundation, encouraged older persons to take care of themselves by eating foods suitable to build and maintain a healthy life. “I strongly advise you to consume moderate quantities of whole tubers (plantains, green bananas, cocoyams, yams, potatoes), whole grains (rice, corn, millet, sorghum, oats), and whole wheat (brown bread, wheat flour), Mrs. Tabi Said. "Protein-rich foods like milk, eggs, white-skinned fish (bar, cod, grouper), white flesh like skinless chicken (especially breast and thigh), rabbits, and ducks should be consumed in high quantities, as well as fruits and vegetables, she added. She also advised the participants to drink between 1.5 and 2.5 liters of water daily to keep them hydrated and to support their metabolic functions.

Mrs. Tabi highlighted that being elderly puts them at high risk of developing chronic non-transmissible diseases and non-communicable diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes, and thus admonished them to be highly sensitive to what they consume. “Limit sugar and sugary foods (sweetened drinks, sweets, honey, caramel, cakes, ice creams, etc.) and fatty foods (groundnuts, melon seeds, cold cuts, meats, and fatty fish, etc.), Mrs. Tabi said. “Avoid foods rich in purines like crayfish, crabs, shrimps, snails, pork, cabbage, mackerel and other dark-skinned fish, smoked fish, beef, and the internal organs of animals. Processed foods (polished rice, polished pasta, fruit juices, flour, etc.), foods rich in salts, canned foods, olives, spicy foods, and fried foods,” she added.

Speaking on the different health complications associated with age and how they can be managed with food, Miss Cathy Abeng pointed out that complications like difficulties with mastication, problems with swallowing, gastric reflux, and constipation are common in older people. She further advised them on specific foods to consume in relation to the different health complications cited.

On her part, Miss Suzzy Kang encouraged the older people to engage in regular physical exercises to keep them healthy and strong. "As much as you eat well, you also need to do physical exercises to maintain an overall healthy life,” Miss Kang said. Demonstrating some exercises for older persons, Miss Kang made it clear that exercises for older persons are not supposed to be intense but just enough to keep them active.

As a means to specifically address the health needs of the older persons present, the Wellness Center of the J&A Oben Foundation also carried out free screenings for chronic non-transmissible diseases and non-communicable diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes.

The participants were handed dental health and skin care kits to enhance their dental and skin health.

The International Day of Older Persons is a day to celebrate and advocate for the rights and well-being of older people around the world. The day was observed this year under the theme of fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons: Across Generations.