Investigation of Food and Nutrition Management Program and its Needs for the Aged Using the Elderly Welfare Facility

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the need for a food and nutrition management control program in order to promote health and nutritional dietary life of the aged. Target Audience: The target audience was dietary supporters at the elderly welfare centers in Korea. Theory, Prior Research, Rationale: In Korea, the number of elderly welfare facilities is being quantitatively increased and, for the health of the aged, it is necessary to control the nutrition at these facilities. However, the food and nutrition control management system is not satisfactory. The program is based on the behavior change theory. Description: A nutrition education program for 42 dietary supporters at the elderly welfare centers in order to encourage healthy behaviors of the elderly including choosing and cooking healthy food. The satisfaction and opinions was measured by interviewing after application of the program. Evaluation: Eighty-eight point one percent of the total subjects replied 'very satisfied', in terms of interest of the education program. In the program needs, 'normal dietary therapy for health' and 'dietary therapy depending on each disease' (including obesity) were represented to be high. Regarding education methods, it was represented in the order of 'lecture (47.6%)', 'practice (45.2%)', 'class demonstration (19%)', and 'play and game (7.1%)'. In the types of food and nutrition management control programs, health and nutrition education (4.04)' showed the highest. Conclusions and Implications: We expect that when the role of the elderly welfare facility has been established as a health and nutrition promotion system for the aged and linked with the national welfare project, its synergy effect would be more significant. Funding: Korea Health Promotion Foundation (2013)