Meal rounds: an essential aspect of quality nutrition services in long-term care.
OBJECTIVE
Weight change and, specifically, weight loss are common in residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs). The occurrence of weight change results from multifactorial processes, some of which can be considered nutrition risk factors. Meal rounds can be a continuous quality improvement activity to readily identify nutrition risk factors that can influence weight change.


METHODS
This brief report will describe the activity of meal rounds and how they can be used to improve nutrition services. Baseline data from a previously published study on 37 residents will provide proportions of nutrition risk factors identified during meal rounds that can influence weight change.


RESULTS
Feeding and eating difficulties are prevalent in residents with dementia (eg, agitation 29.7%, resisting assistance 21.6%). Early identification of these difficulties using meal rounds may be a means of preventing weight change and promoting quality nutrition care in LTCFs. The proposed intervention of meal rounds conducted as described can improve the quality of nutrition services in LTCFs.
Keller
Heather H
HH
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada. hkeller@uoguelph.ca
Gibbs-Ward
Amie
A
Randall-Simpson
Janis
J
Bocock
Mary-Ann
MA
Dimou
Ekaterini
E
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005522:Food Services / Q000592:standards*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000458:organization & administration; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D019370:Observation; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D015431:Weight Loss