Eating difficulties, assisted eating and nutritional status in elderly (> or = 65 years) patients in hospital rehabilitation.
This study describes frequencies and associations between eating difficulties, assisted eating and nutritional status in 520 elderly patients in hospital rehabilitation. Eating difficulties were observed during a meal and nutritional status was assessed with Subjective Global Assessment form. Eighty-two percent of patients had one or more eating difficulties, 36% had assisted eating and 46% malnutrition. Three components of eating were focused upon ingestion, deglutition, and energy (eating and intake). Deglutition and ingestion difficulties and low energy were associated with assisted eating, and low energy associated with malnutrition. Underestimation of low energy puts patients at risk of having or developing malnutrition.
Westergren
Albert
A
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, P.O. Box 198, SE-221 00, Lund, Sweden. albert.westergren@omv.lu.se
Unosson
Mitra
M
Ohlsson
Ola
O
Lorefält
Birgitta
B
Hallberg
Ingalill R
IR
D000368:Aged; D004435:Eating; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012046:Rehabilitation