title: Nutritional status and eating habits of older Manitobans after relocating to a personal care home.
abstract: We explored the effect of relocating to a personal care home (PCH) on older adults' nutritional status and eating habits. Fourteen Caucasian older adults (F=57%) with a mean age of 83 years (standard deviation = 9.79) consented to participate. Anthropometric information (height, weight, bioelectrical impedance analysis), biochemical and clinical information (diagnoses, data from scales measuring risk or function), and dietary information (three-day plate waste analysis) were collected at time points A (two to three months after relocation) and B (six to seven months after relocation) through face-to-face interviews and medical chart reviews, and from nursing staff. At time B, cognitive function declined (z = -2.185, p<0.05) and the number of medications prescribed increased (z = -2.00, p<0.05). Levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were insufficient among 83% of participants at both time points. Mean serum albumin was 34.4 ± 7.2 g/L at time B, and the prevalence of potential nutritional risk increased from 57% to 77%. Dietary intake was inadequate at both time points. Nutritional risk became more prevalent at time B. Protein-energy malnutrition and other nutritional inadequacies may result if dietary intakes do not improve. Strategies to improve dietary intakes should be implemented within PCHs to reduce potential malnutrition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sitter
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lengyel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008350:Manitoba; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009752:Nutritional Status