Older persons will need some assistance in achieving and preserving a maximum level of health. They should be taught good health habits and allowed to continue caring for themselves and making decisions about their own lifestyles as long as possible. It is recommended that persons over the age of 60 have a comprehensive assessment of health status at least once a year. Medical care is an essential part of their health maintenance because of the normal physiological changes and chronic illnesses they are likely to have. Older persons comprise the largest group of health-care consumers in the United States.
Nutrition plays an important role in health maintenance of the elderly.
Poor eating habits may originate in younger years, but they have profound effects as one grows older. Some older persons may subsist on poor diets because they live alone. Preparing meals for oneself and eating alone can take the joy out of cooking and eating. Other factors that can affect nutrition include poorly fitting or absent dentures, periodontal disease, and changes in the sense of taste. Unfortunately the sweet and salty taste buds are lost first, while ability to discern bitter and sour tastes remain.