Oral diet in a hospital environment: factors that make it difficult for elderly patients to eat

Abstract

Introduction: Changes in nutritional status in the elderly are related to the cause of many clinical complications. Inadequate acceptance of the diet can lead to a significant worsening of nutritional status during hospitalization. Objective: to analyze the dietary factors that make it difficult for elderly hospitalized patients to accept the oral diet. Methods: The study was quantitative, exploratory-descriptive and cross-sectional, with patients aged 60 years or over using the exclusive oral route for at least 3 days, both sexes, from June to September 2023. The medical records were analyzed for information for nutritional anamnesis. Data on food acceptance were obtained and the Dietary Assessment Scale for the Hospitalized Elderly was applied. Results: The sample consisted of 13 elderly people with predominantly low weight nutritional status. It was identified that dietary factors are not those that make oral feeding most difficult for those evaluated, but that those who mentioned it, pointed out the temperature as decisive for eating. Conclusion: There is a need to evaluate the processes involved in preparing these meals and develop strategies to stimulate patients' food intake, based not only on nutritional functions, but also on the hedonic and social functions of hospital food.