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Oct 2, 2017
Healthy eating should be a priority throughout our lives. As we age, it becomes an important factor in staying active and independent. Planning our meals with a focus on getting the right nutrients and maintaining a healthy weight will give our immune system a boost. Plan your meals to maximize nutrients by including lean protein, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy.
Seniors may become more susceptible to foodborne illnesses as their immune system weakens and stomach acid decreases, leaving bodies unable to fully fight the bacteria or virus causing the illness. For older adults age 65+, the results can be dangerous, even fatal.
If you have ever experienced a foodborne illness, commonly known as food poisoning, you know it is extremely unpleasant, to say the least. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, even body aches, fever and headaches combine to create quite the memorable experience. This takes a toll on the human body at any age, often resulting in dehydration and an overall feeling of weakness.
The good news is we can take action to prevent contracting foodborne illnesses by following 4 basic food safety rules:
- CLEAN. Washing your hands frequently with soap and warm water throughout the food preparation process. Be sure to wash them again if you sneeze or cough. Also keep all surfaces clean, including counters, cutting boards, and tables as well as utensils.
- SEPARATE. Be sure to keep raw and cooked foods separate. While in the refrigerator, raw fruits, vegetables and ready-to-eat foods should be kept away from raw meats. During prep, clean surfaces and wash your hands after handling raw foods.
- COOK. Always cook foods to their proper temperatures. A food thermometer
can ensure your food is cooked thoroughly all the way through. When preparing food in a microwave, make sure there aren't any cold spots that may contain bacteria. - CHILL. Refrigerate foods promptly. Follow the 2 Hour Rule: Don't allow perishable foods to sit on the counter for more than 2 hours. Do not thaw meat on the counter! Toss any food not stored at the appropriate temperature for more than 2 hours.
There are also some foods that seniors should avoid or consider carefully before eating:
- raw fish
- hot dogs and lunch meat unless heated to the appropriate temperature
- raw or unpasteurized milk or fruit and vegetable juices
- refrigerated pates or smoked fish
- raw or lightly cooked eggs
- raw meat or poultry
- raw sprouts
So be careful about storing, preparing and eating food. By cleaning, separating, cooking, and chilling you can help prevent contracting a foodborne illness… at any age!
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Recent Articles
Jun 5
Seniors Create a Night to Remember and Lifelong Connections at Senior-Senior Dance
Spring is prom season—that fun-filled, special rite of passage marking a last chance for high school seniors to forge enduring memories of young adulthood before heading out into the wider world. This year, Los Angeles Jewish Health held a dance for both seniors in high school and seniors who are older adults, bringing them together for a special shared celebration. On a beautiful evening, residents of the Newman Building on the Eisenberg Village campus joined graduating seniors from de Toledo High School to create lasting connections and a night to remember. The idea—hosting an annual evening that would enable people on both sides of the generational divide to learn how much they have in common and bond—was born a handful of years ago. The inaugural Senior-Senior Dance, held before the tightening up of health regulations during COVID-19, was a tremendous success. “Following the pandemic, we started to think about bringing the Senior-Senior Dance back. It’s such a wonderful program, and I remember our residents couldn’t stop talking about how much they enjoyed it for weeks after it happened,” says Stacy Orbach, Los Angeles Jewish Health’s director of volunteer services. “We knew it would be so invigorating for our seniors to move and schmooze on the dance floor!” High School Seniors and Senior residents dance togetherStudents and administrators at de Toledo, a private Jewish day school located in West Hills, were equally thrilled by the prospect of making this special event a tradition, and a group of de Toledo seniors began planning in earnest with Los Angeles Jewish Health staff. On the day of the event, students arrived at Los Angeles Jewish Health early to help set up, transforming the venue with decorations including colored lights and festive crepe paper. All of the excitement created a buzz on campus and brought Los Angeles Jewish Health residents out in droves. Stacy shares, “We had a packed house including parents of students and de Toledo’s head of school. The de Toledo jazz band came, along with their amazing teacher Jared Stein. Once they started playing, students and residents flocked to the dance floor. We couldn’t get them off!” LAJH Special Projects Coordinator Julie Lockman-Gold says the event was rejuvenating for the Newman residents, most of whom are in their 80s and 90s and who love connecting with younger people. “We literally watched our residents get younger during the night. If they had arthritis or other pain, they forgot it all. They showed such spunk, and all their old dance moves came back. There was one resident who didn’t sit down the entire night—and she’s 94!” she says. “Seeing such big smiles and so much joy on residents’ faces was really something to behold.” The residents were deeply appreciative of the de Toledo students’ presence at the event. “That these kids wanted to be with us was such a mitzvah,” one of the participants says. “It meant a lot for them to come here and do this for us.” The benefit and appreciation went both ways. “The students got so much out of this event,” says Annette Weinberg, Los Angeles Jewish Health’s campus lifestyle and enrichment director for Eisenberg Village. “At school, they learn the concept of l’dor v’dor (from generation to generation), which is all about passing down wisdom and traditions. The Senior-Senior Dance gave them an opportunity to put it into action, and I think they realized how meaningful it was for our residents to spend time with them, listen to them, and laugh with them.” Perhaps one of the participating de Toledo seniors put it best: “We formed real soul-to-soul connections. It’s not just what we did for them, but also the impact they had on us,” he says. “The simple conversations we had with them taught us life lessons that we’ll carry with us through our next chapters.” Music was provided by the De Toledo High School Jazz BandBoth groups enjoyed visiting throughout the event.
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Jun 5
New Activity Group Leaves Residents Feeling Positively Great
For Los Angeles Jewish Health resident Arlene Bercu, life is about making the most of every moment. The 90-year-old Winnipeg transplant has always greeted each day with enthusiasm, but her embrace of glass-half-full optimism has recently taken on new meaning—and, as she tells it, today her glass overflows with thankfulness and fulfillment. “Last year, I got COVID and also took a fall at the same time and ended up being hospitalized for five days. When I came back to Los Angeles Jewish Health, I went into rehab, and the kindness, care, and love of the staff was amazing,” she enthuses. “I know God took me on a spiritual odyssey and put those people on my path, and it made me so grateful.” Channeling that gratitude into action, at the suggestion of several Los Angeles Jewish Health staffers, Arlene decided to launch the Positivity Group, a monthly meeting of residents living on the Grancell Village campus, in its Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center building. The idea, she says, is to help her fellow residents experience the kind of pure happiness they had when they were little children. “We choose a theme for the meetings, and we welcome whoever wants to come,” Arlene says. “In April, which was our first gathering, the focus was music: We had residents singing and playing tambourines, castanets, and drums. People were smiling ear-to-ear, and seeing their faces light up made my soul soar.”During the May meeting, Arlene—a talented artist who was selling her work on the Venice Beach Boardwalk into her 80s—led group participants in making bookmarks and postcards and painting on giant easels. “We even had Q-Tips for people who couldn’t hold brushes; you can paint with any manner of things!” she notes. As Arlene sees it, the magic of the Positivity Group is its ability to connect residents with the sense of wonder and amazement they may not have felt since their earliest years. “Adults are such perfectionists, and we can be so hard on ourselves. But, as kids, we’re more open and receptive to the idea that each of us is original, one-of-a-kind, a masterpiece,” she says. “That’s what I want our participants to understand: They can contribute in their own unique ways, whether it’s singing a song or painting a canvas, and their contributions are valued—and they are loved.” At future meetings, Arlene hopes to lead the group in assembling gift baskets to be distributed to other residents. “We’ll have all sorts of treasures that will allow seniors to unlock their inner child, from checkers sets and dolls to Lincoln Logs and Play Doh,” she says. “Then we’ll tie the baskets up with beautiful raffia ribbon. It will be so wonderful!” Arlene says helping residents harken back to their youth helps spark creativity and joy while also providing new opportunities for intellectual and spiritual growth. “Just because we’re older doesn’t mean we have to stop learning,” she points out. “I believe God makes all things possible no matter our ages and that, if we just have faith, we’ll find we can accomplish so much. Fear is the only thing holding us back, and I hope that after coming to the Positivity Group, people will feel upbeat and excited about doing new things. I know I do: Every day is a gift, and I’m not afraid to try anything anymore.” Arlene sold her work on the Venice Beach Boardwalk well into her 80s
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Passover 2024 a Time of Thoughtful Celebration at Los Angeles Jewish Health
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