According to
the National Council on Aging (NCOA), for people with certain chronic conditions, proper nutrition is more
than just a good idea—it’s an essential part of managing many health problems
like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and more.
Poor nutrition increases the risk for
serious health problems and is a key factor in the development of chronic
illness. Older adults with chronic
illnesses are especially at risk for poor nutrition, which can happen because
of loss of appetite, aging, limited mobility, bone loss, and a lack of
understanding for healthy meal development and good food choices.
The nutrition services provided by the NEK
Council on Aging are available to area older Vermonters to help educate them on
healthy eating and to help prevent the onset of chronic disease due to
malnutrition. Their nutritional team works with clients throughout the NEK to
assist with reading nutrition labeling, food safety, understanding weight
loss/gain, cooking for one on a simple budget, hydration, meal planning, and
connecting clients to long-term nutritional support.
“Our older clients don’t realize that as we age, we face difficulties staying
hydrated, our metabolism and energy levels change, issues crop up with the GI
tract, and our ability to fight infection is reduced,” said Lallie Mambourg,
Director of Nutrition at the NEK Council on Aging. “Learning about and incorporating steps to
ensure proper nutrition is so important in building healthy individuals and
families.”
The nutrition team at the Council is led by Mambourg who is joined by nutrition
consultants, Maire Folan, MS RD, LD and Alicia Armstrong RDN, LD CDE. Folan and Armstrong work for other area
health organizations including Northern Counties Health Care and Green Mountain
Farm to School. Most of the services
provided by the team are free of charge.
“Maire (pronounced Maura) and Alicia assist the Council in the development of
all community dining and Meals on Wheels meals, and work with our clients and
their families for person-centered nutrition support. They are professional Registered Dietitians
and Alicia is a Certified Diabetes Educator. This level of support is wonderful
for our area older Vermonters and I am grateful to have them on our team,” said
Mambourg.
The nutrition program at the Council is part of a larger effort focusing on the
wellbeing of older Vermonters. Other key nutritional partners are the Vermont
Food Bank and 3SquaresVT, a federal USDA program (called
SNAP
nationally)
that helps those 60 and older obtain healthy and nutritious foods
every day.
To obtain information regarding nutrition services at the Council, call the
Helpline at
(800) 642-5119
or visit
the Nutrition section on the website
www.NEKCouncil.org.