title: Oral liquid nutritional supplements for people with dementia in residential aged care facilities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This systematic review investigated the prescription, administration and effectiveness of oral liquid nutritional supplements (OLNS) for people with dementia in residential aged care facilities (RACF).
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive search of relevant databases, hand searching and cross-referencing found 15 relevant articles from a total of 2910 possible results. Articles which met the inclusion criteria were critically appraised by two independent reviewers using the relevant Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) appraisal checklist. Data were extracted using the relevant JBI extraction instruments. No data synthesis was possible due to clinical and methodological heterogeneity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Included studies examined a range of strategies, issues and results related to OLNS for persons with dementia in RACFs; however there appear to be significant gaps in the current body of research, particularly in relation to examinations of effectiveness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review was unable to produce a definitive finding regarding effectiveness. OLNS may improve the nutritional state of residents with dementia and help prevent weight loss, and there is some suggestion that it may slow the rate of cognitive decline. However, in order for OLNS to be effective, nursing and care staff need to ensure that sufficient attention is paid to the issues of prescription and administration.
authors.affiliation: Dementia Collaborative Research Centre-Consumers and Carers: An Evidence Synthesis Group of the Joanna Briggs Institute, School of Nursing Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia. sonia.hines@qut.edu.au
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hines
authors.forename: Jacinda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCrow
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abbey
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sacre
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D003704:Dementia / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D016896:Treatment Outcome