Page 14 - Petelin, Ana, and Šarabon, Nejc. 2018. Eds. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Znanstvena monografija / Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 14
avje starostnikov | health of the elderly 14 into account the desire for home-prepared fresh food, because pre-prepared
meals are often nutritional unbalanced, with high levels of salt and saturated
fats, with too little fruits, vegetables and diets fiber (Celnik et al., 2012; How-
ard et al., 2012).
Discussion
When reviewing literature, it was found that many foreign studies dealt with
the malnutrition of elderly people in hospital and home care. Research shows
a high proportion of malnourished in hospital care (Heersink et al., 2010; So-
rensen et al., 2012) and a longer lagging period of malnourished patients (So-
rensen et al., 2008) as well as a high proportion of malnutrition and risk for
malnutrition in social care homes (Donini et al., 2013; Nazemi et al., 2014;
Tasar, 2015) and residential communities (Demeny et al., 2015; Zainudin et al.,
2016). According to Gabrijelčič Blenkuš et al. (2010), there is lack of research
in the field of elderly nutrition in Slovenia, with too little systematic measures
to improve the condition that would be adapted to the local environment. We
have developed recommendations for dietary treatment of patients in hospitals
and elderly in retirement homes (Cerović et al., 2008), which also partly cov-
er home living elderly who are fed with meals from retirement homes, there is
still a large share of home living people that have inadequate eating habits and
inadequate nutritional support due to lack of recognition for various reasons.
In institutional care there are recommendations for dietary screening (Cerovič
et al., 2008) and dictate screening once a week using a validated MNA ques-
tionnaire in home care and the NRS-2002 in assessing the nutritional status of
hospitalized patients. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence -
NICE (British National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence) provides
guidelines for the elderly‘s dietary support and recommends additional profes-
sional training for all employees involved in elderly care (Fletcher, 2011).
Conclusions
A healthy, balanced and age-adjusted diet has a significant impact on the func-
tionality of the elderly person (ESPEN, 2010). The introduction of effective
nutrition measures would, among other things, allow for more effective and
cheaper treatment of age-related illnesses (Resolution, 2015), alleviate the de-
cline in cognitive abilities (Vauzour et al., 2017) and prevent the emergence of
non-communicable chronic illnesses associated with inappropriate nutrition,
movement and lifestyle. With appropriate programs for educating older peo-
ple on healthy eating, we could act preventively and prevent the development
of eating disorders, modern-day illnesses, and the advancement of pre-existing
conditions of the disease, and finally save financially. In order to understand
aging, it is necessary to strengthen the knowledge of geriatrics and gerontolo-
gy in all areas of education in health, social care, public administration, edu-
cation, etc. In addition to knowledge, a wider awareness of the importance of
aging for all generations is needed (Skela Savič et al., 2010), and emphasize the
meals are often nutritional unbalanced, with high levels of salt and saturated
fats, with too little fruits, vegetables and diets fiber (Celnik et al., 2012; How-
ard et al., 2012).
Discussion
When reviewing literature, it was found that many foreign studies dealt with
the malnutrition of elderly people in hospital and home care. Research shows
a high proportion of malnourished in hospital care (Heersink et al., 2010; So-
rensen et al., 2012) and a longer lagging period of malnourished patients (So-
rensen et al., 2008) as well as a high proportion of malnutrition and risk for
malnutrition in social care homes (Donini et al., 2013; Nazemi et al., 2014;
Tasar, 2015) and residential communities (Demeny et al., 2015; Zainudin et al.,
2016). According to Gabrijelčič Blenkuš et al. (2010), there is lack of research
in the field of elderly nutrition in Slovenia, with too little systematic measures
to improve the condition that would be adapted to the local environment. We
have developed recommendations for dietary treatment of patients in hospitals
and elderly in retirement homes (Cerović et al., 2008), which also partly cov-
er home living elderly who are fed with meals from retirement homes, there is
still a large share of home living people that have inadequate eating habits and
inadequate nutritional support due to lack of recognition for various reasons.
In institutional care there are recommendations for dietary screening (Cerovič
et al., 2008) and dictate screening once a week using a validated MNA ques-
tionnaire in home care and the NRS-2002 in assessing the nutritional status of
hospitalized patients. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence -
NICE (British National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence) provides
guidelines for the elderly‘s dietary support and recommends additional profes-
sional training for all employees involved in elderly care (Fletcher, 2011).
Conclusions
A healthy, balanced and age-adjusted diet has a significant impact on the func-
tionality of the elderly person (ESPEN, 2010). The introduction of effective
nutrition measures would, among other things, allow for more effective and
cheaper treatment of age-related illnesses (Resolution, 2015), alleviate the de-
cline in cognitive abilities (Vauzour et al., 2017) and prevent the emergence of
non-communicable chronic illnesses associated with inappropriate nutrition,
movement and lifestyle. With appropriate programs for educating older peo-
ple on healthy eating, we could act preventively and prevent the development
of eating disorders, modern-day illnesses, and the advancement of pre-existing
conditions of the disease, and finally save financially. In order to understand
aging, it is necessary to strengthen the knowledge of geriatrics and gerontolo-
gy in all areas of education in health, social care, public administration, edu-
cation, etc. In addition to knowledge, a wider awareness of the importance of
aging for all generations is needed (Skela Savič et al., 2010), and emphasize the
