title: [Can we improve the general and nutritional management of elderly individuals living at a medical-social facility? A team work].
abstract: Can we improve comprehensive care of old people's home residents? Working in an interdisciplinary health network, health professionals tried to better answer the real needs of residents. Malnutrition is is highly prevalent in this population. We showed that it is possible to improve health care of these patients by better organizing meals with a more enriched protein content provided a better involvement in the process of every caring team member. Most of the new residents improved their nutritional state already after the first months in institution. However we still have to develop managerial tools to avoid routine, evaluate the results on the long term and stimulate caregivers as there is a clear relationship between health quality, nutritional state and survival in these old people. On the other hand, a better medical follow up of antibiotherapy allowed a 30% decrease in antibiotics consumption. We also showed a better acceptance of influenza vaccination with a vaccination prevalence going from 80% to 99% in residents and from 80% to 100% in caregivers. Such an approach shows that health care can be improved in old people's homes provided interdisciplinary coordinated work between physicians, nurses and other professionals.
authors.affiliation: alain.metrailler@bluewin.ch
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Métrailler
authors.forename: Gasparine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Emery
authors.forename: Apoline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zuber
authors.forename: Murielle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robyr
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mabillard
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dolt
authors.forename: Ariane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kunz
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bettler
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bonvin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004032:Diet; D005853:Geriatrics; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D009752:Nutritional Status; D013557:Switzerland
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents