For weeks, Dr. Carol Ireton-Jones had wracked her brain on how to get an 88-year-old friend eating again. Like many elderly adults, the friend had a poor appetite and was very frail, losing weight and becoming malnourished. The friend’s daughter and Carol, the founder of Good Nutrition for Good Living, a nutritional consulting firm in Texas, were increasingly concerned for the woman’s health.
Then a possible solution came in the form of an email from Thrive Frozen Nutrition. The company had recently completed a study on unintended weight loss among at-risk elderly adults. Conducted at a long-term care facility, the study determined residents given Thrive Ice Cream twice daily gained five times more weight than those receiving another well-known supplement product. Patients receiving no supplements lost weight. The email’s timing couldn’t have been better.
“I immediately hit the contact button,” said Carol. “My friend loves ice cream and I thought Thrive might be the answer.”
As luck would have it, Thrive’s offered to personally deliver a case of Thrive Ice Cream for Healthcare, which is individually portioned in six-ounce cups, to Carol.
“Of course, I accepted,” said Carol.
She immediately took the ice cream to her friend. The woman tried all three flavors – Simply Chocolate, Creamy Vanilla and Natural Strawberry – and enjoyed them all. Carol was impressed at the immediate return of appetite, saying, “She loved it from the first bite.”
From the perspective of a professional dietitian, Carol appreciated the response. “When an older person, or anyone really, doesn’t feel like eating, nothing sounds good. When something to eat is offered, it should be calorie and nutrient dense, but it also needs to be palatable. Most people love ice cream, so getting them to try Thrive is very easy.”
Thrive tastes so good, those eating it don’t realize how nutritious it is. A six-ounce serving of Thrive contains nine grams of protein, six grams of fiber, 20 percent of the DRI for 24 vitamins and minerals, and four active probiotics. It is certified REAL dairy, gluten free, kosher certified, and low in lactose. There’s also a no sugar added flavor for those on low-sugar diets.
Having just returned from Clinical Nutrition Week, a national conference hosted by the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition in February, Carol is fully aware of the growing national concern over unintentional weight loss and malnutrition.
“Hospitals and senior living facilities wrestle with this issue all the time; however, malnutrition in frail elderly often begins at home. I would encourage family members and friends to watch their loved ones closely and monitor weight loss,” she cautioned.
“Thrive Ice Cream is a nutritional product that would be very helpful not just for healthcare and senior living facilities, but also individuals,” Carol added.
One of those individuals helped by Thrive is Carol’s friend. She recently celebrated her 89th birthday, and both her daughter and friends say she looks great, has gained some weight and is “perkier.”
“Thrive helped her get her mojo back!” Carol said with a smile.
Thrive Ice Cream is available to healthcare facilities and senior living communities through a growing number of group purchasing organizations and distributors across the country. Thrive can be ordered on our website for home delivery.