Fuel Your Body

Stay On Your Feet®

Move Improve Remove

Falls Are Preventable

Here are some simple, key tips for you to follow to help prevent slips, trips and

falls… so that you can get on with enjoying the fun things in life.

Move your body:

• Build your balance

• Strengthen your legs

Improve your health:

• Check your medicines

• Keep a healthy mind

• Fuel your body

Remove hazards:

• Make your home safer

• Check your eyesight

• Wear safe footwear

Fuel Your Body and falls prevention

• Many older adults are at risk of

malnutrition.

• Decreased appetite and reduced access

to healthy foods means older adults may

not get enough essential vitamins,

minerals and fiber.

• Falls are preventable

Why is good nutrition

important for healthy

ageing?

• Essential vitamins and minerals

• Keeps the body strong

• Energy the body needs to function all

day long

Why should you be

eating regular meals or

snacks?

• Energy to keep you going all day long

• Helps you to maintain an active lifestyle

What is nutritious food?

Grains(cereal)

foods, mostly

wholegrain and or

high cereal fibre

varieties

Vegetables and

legumes/beans

Fruit

Milk, yoghurt, cheese

and/or alternatives, mostly

reduced fat

Lean meats and

poultry, fish,

eggs, tofu, nuts,

seeds and

legumes/beans

What are your

favourite

meals/foods

from each of

the five

groups?

Fuel Your

Body Booklet

What is

hydration?

The process of replacing water in

the body.

Why is it

important to stay

hydrated?

• Supports the body’s vital functions

• Keeps your body strong and

healthy

• Helps prevent dehydration,

confusion and dizziness.

• Healthy ageing

What do you do or what could you do

to remind yourself to stay hydrated

throughout the day?

• Carry a bottle of water with you and drink

from it regularly

• Start and end the day with a cup of water

• Keep a full bottle of water in the

refrigerator and take a drink every time

you open the refrigerator

• Know the signs of dehydration

• Have a glass of water with every meal.

Alcohol: what is a

standard drink?

Why is it important for older adults

to reduce or limit alcohol

consumption?

• Impair judgement, coordination and concentration

• Keep the body strong and help you retain your independence

• Prevent a slip, trip or fall

• Chronic health issues and medications: speak to your GP

before drinking alcohol.

What can older adults do to reduce

or limit their alcohol consumption?

• Keep less alcohol in the house

• Avoid filling up wine glasses fully

• Drink slowly

• Have one drink followed by a glass of water

• Add ice or water to your drink

• Eat before, and while you drink

• Do not replace meals with alcohol

• Seek advice from your GP if necessary

What are some of the

barriers older adults

might experience to

fuelling their body and

eating regular nutritious

meals from all five food

groups?

• Knowledge

• Motivation

• Cost

• Skills

• Restricted mobility

• Limited access to foods or

supermarkets

• Medication and side effects

• Dentition

What are some strategies or what

can older adults do to overcome

these barriers and eat nutritious

food from all five food groups?

• Knowledge

• Motivation

• Cost

• Skills

• Restricted mobility

• Limited access to foods or supermarkets

• Medication and side effects

• Dentition

Case study 1:

Betty is a 69-year-old woman who recently has been feeling very fatigued, has

ongoing infections and concerns about her general health. She was widowed 5

years ago and recently her best friend passed which has affected her usual social

activities such as eating out. She is usually an active person, playing bowls as her

chosen sport. However, she hasn’t been to bowls lately due to feeling too tired.

Betty often drives her neighbours to appointments and says she likes to be

‘needed and available’. She tends to eat little and has a narrow diet due to

cooking for herself only. What could Betty do to improve her diet and fuel her

body?

Case study 2

Bruce is a 72-year-old man who lives in a lifestyle village. He used to be a very

good eater, but in recent months his appetite has decreased. Also, he has lost

8kg in the past 2 months. Bruce has some ongoing health issues and as a result

has been prescribed a few different medications. Bruce has been feeling very

weak and frail and has now started to have trouble moving about the house.

What could Bruce do to help him fuel his body and stay strong and independent?

Case study 3

John and his wife recently moved into a lifestyle village. John is a

very social man and likes to have a few beers every afternoon with

the ‘boys’. Over the last few months a few beers has turned into a

few more beers and John has been coming home intoxicated most

nights. The other day it was John’s best friend’s birthday and they

decided to celebrate. John got home to his villa very late and in his

drunken state tripped over a mat, knocked his head on the kitchen

table and ended up in hospital. What could you suggest to help John

reduce his alcohol intake while remaining social and prevent another

fall?

Case study 4

Mr Miles is an 81-year-old male and full time carer for his wife. Mr Miles has

limited cooking skills and doesn’t really enjoy spending time in the kitchen. Mr

Miles is still quite physically capable and is able to drive. As he doesn’t like or

know how to cook Mr Miles and his wife have been skipping meals or eating

takeaway or pre-packaged foods. Mr Miles has begun to notice he hasn’t been

feeling very well lately and is struggling to take care of his wife too. What do

you suggest for Mr and Mrs Miles to improve their diet and fuel their body?

Quiz

1. What are the five food groups?

2. What are three tips/strategies to help older adults drink less alcohol?

3. What are three ways to ensure your body is fuelled?

4. What might happen (symptoms) if you don’t drink enough water?

5. What are two tips for staying hydrated?

Answers 1. Vegetables/legumes/beans; fruit; whole grains; dairy or dairy alternatives; lean

meats/poultry/fish/eggs/tofu/nuts/seeds/legumes/beans

2. Keep less alcohol in the house; avoid filling up wine glasses fully; drink slowly;

have one drink followed by a glass of water; add ice or water to your drink; eat

before, and while, you drink alcohol; do not replace meals with alcohol; seek

advice from your GP if necessary.

3. Eat regular meals from all five food groups, limit alcohol and drink water to stay

hydrated.

4. Dehydrated, confusion, dizziness, slip, trip or fall.

5. Carry a bottle of water with you and drink from it regularly; start and end the day

with a cup of water; keep a full bottle of water in the refrigerator door and take a

drink every time you open the refrigerator; know the signs of

Dehydration; have a glass of water with every meal.

Key Messages

1. Eat regular meals and snacks to stay

strong and fuel your body

2. Make sure every meal or snack is made up

of nutritious foods from the five food groups to

keep your body working well.

3. Drink more water to help you stay healthy

and active

4. Drink less alcohol to keep your brain and

body healthy

Questions?

Thank you for coming!