Nutritional risk of elderly residents

Abstract

This thesis tries to discover the most important factors related to the feeding and nutrition of those living in longterm care institutions, to assess the nutritional status of elderly living in social homes and to make recommendations concerning nutritional rehabilitation based on the results. Aims: To assess the nutritional status of people older than 60 years (elderly) living in long-term care institutions and changes in the body mass index (BMI) of elderly persons living in long-term care institutions; to evaluate the changes in the nutritional status of elderly living in long-term care institutions during the last half decade; to establish the relations and correlations between acute and chronic diseases and nutritional status; to evaluate the sip-feed provision for elderly living in long-term care institutions; and to map the relationship between the discovered potential influencing factors and nutritional status screened by the malnutrition universal screening tool (MUST). Methods: We screened the nutritional status of 4774 elderly residents (men: 28.9–30.9%, women: 69.1–71.2%; mean age: 77.8 ± 8.9 years) in long-term care institutions, who volunteered to participate. In 2004 and 2006, the MUST and our questionnaire were used, and in 2008 the nutrition day questionnaire was used. Results: According to our results, risk of malnutrition is high (26.8–77.0%) in elderly residents of social homes. Assessment of nutritional status was done four times a year or even more rarely in 29.5% of the residents. Nutritional status is multifactorial; it is influenced by several factors (e.g. immobility, fever, etc.). Loss of appetite and swallowing difficulties are 2.5-fold and limited mobility, dementia, and missing teeth are almost 2-fold (1.6–1.7) more frequent in the group of high-risk elderly than in the elderly living in social homes. Neurological diseases were found to have a significant correlation with nutritional status. Incidence of neurological diseases has increased significantly in the last years. Conclusion: Nutritional rehabilitation does not end with screening the nutritional status; on the contrary, it begins with that. On the basis of the results of the screening, the determination of nutritional guidelines and individual diet, if necessary, is crucial.