Feeding the anorectic client: comfort foods and happy hour.
The anorectic patient presents a dilemma to the health care provider. As the patient refuses oral intake, quality of life diminishes, and health care costs increase. This article describes two approaches that have demonstrated effectiveness: comfort food and happy hour. "Comfort foods" describe foods associated with bygone years, intended to trigger recollections of pleasant childhood experiences and feelings of caring and healing. A second alternative described is the offering of a "happy hour" beverage, presented in a social milieu. These treatments are reproducible in a variety of clinical care settings and stimulate oral intake in the failure-to-thrive patient.
Wood
P
P
Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Des Moines, USA.
Vogen
B D
BD
D000368:Aged; D000855:Anorexia / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D005518:Food Preferences; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008612:Menu Planning; D012944:Social Support