Health Canada estimates that eleven to thirteen million Canadians suffer a food-borne illness every year. Five thousand Canadians are hospitalized and up to 900 Canadians die each year as a result. Food-borne illness, commonly known as food poisoning, is caused by eating food that contains enough harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, moulds, yeasts or their toxins, to cause illness. It is caused by unsafe food handling or by contaminated food.
In addition to the very young, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, seniors are at the greatest risk for food-borne illness since our immune system weakens as we age. Stomach acid plays an important role in reducing the number of bacteria in our intestinal tracts ( thus reducing the risk of illness ) and it also decreases as we get older.
Continuing care retirement communities strive to provide their residents with a home-like setting where…
