Nutritional Status and Quality of Life in Older Adults

Nutritional Status and Quality of Life in Older Hospitalised Adults

The aim of this study is to determine the nutritional status, and factors affecting malnutrition in older people staying in hospitals.

Objectives:

• To recruit a sample of older people in hospital
• To collect information on nutritional status, satisfaction with food-related life and experience with access to food in hospital.
• To assess the staffing attitudes to nutritional care of the older adult
• To undertake an audit of therapeutic ('special') diets served in hospitals, with respect to their nutritional adequacy and wastage
• To investigate predictors and correlates of malnutrition within the hospital setting and compare these relationships with those previously identified in care homes and the community.
• To make recommendations for practice to improve the nutritional status of hospitalised older adults.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged ≥ 75 years old
• Male or female
• Duration of stay is more than 24hrs
• Able to eat normally
• Able to read and write English
• Able to be weighed standing or sitting OR accurate weight available since admission

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age below 75 years old
• Newly admitted patient (less than 24hrs)
• Certain medical conditions likely to affect digestion/ absorption of nutrients (researchers will assess)
• Unable to provide informed written consent
• Patients on gastric surgical wards or suffering from gastritis
• Patients currently taking laxatives
• Unable to be weighed and no measured weight available (self report weight is not adequate)