Research Paper On Malnutrition In The Elderly

In this assignment I will be describing the characteristics of nutrients and the benefits to the body.

This assignment will discuss a trust adapted version of the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST). It will demonstrate an understanding of theoretical knowledge used to develop the assessment tool. The assignment will focus on three components within the tool; discussing the reliability and validity when used in a clinical environment. A reflection of my own experience using the tool will be included and linked to aspects of reliability. Any issues with reliability will be identified and suggestions given on how they can be corrected to aid future use.

Over 8.2 million seniors over the age 60 face the threat of food insecurity, up 78% from a decade ago affecting one in seven seniors. The rise in food insecurity is primarily seen among senior Americans with income less than $30,000 or one to two times the poverty level. Younger seniors between the ages 60-69 are becoming more likely to become food insecure than older adults, due to early retirements and not being able to rely on Social Security or Medicare until they reach 65. Elder malnourished patients experience 2 to 20 times more complications and 100% longer hospital stays. Good nutrition is vital to helping America’s 34 million seniors to stay healthy,

As a person ages, theirs body cannot perform the way it used to. This will cause many elderly people to loose their job or choose to go into retirement. Both of these options cause a loss in health care as well and a reduced or exterminated income. Here alone lies a reason that the elderly population is challenged. The elderly population also has a tendency to develop a chronic illness that can be life threatening if not treated or controlled properly. This means that need for health care treatments also increases. At least 40% of those over age 65 will have nutrition-related health problems requiring treatment or management (Gigante, 2012). It is important to realize that 10% of people over the age of 65 and will develop Alzheimer’s disease and 50% of those over the age of 85 will develop this disease (Gigante, 2012). More elderly African American men and women use government aid than white men and women. Therefore, this population will be vulnerable because of the lack of funding, proper health care and insurance.

In 2003 close to 12% of those aged 70-79 years of age faced the threat of hunger, and that rate grew to about 14% in 2013. For those aged 80 and older there was about a 2% increase in those facing the threat of hunger from 2003 to 2013, moving from around 9% to close to 11%. All three age groups saw sharp increases from 2007 to 2008, though the growth was more pronounced in the younger age group (Ziliak & Gundersen, 2013, 2014).

In recent years, there has been research involving the causes and consequences of poor nutrition among the elderly. Researchers continually work to distinguish risk factors of inadequate nutrition; the factors of most concern are “poor appetite, functional limitations, limited income, and social isolation” (Lirette, Podovennikoff, Wismer, Tondu, Klatt, 2007). Individuals at highest risk are those who live at home with a lack of family support (Krondl, Coleman, Lau, 2008). The diets of many elderly people are often low in calories and lacking important nutrients. All of these factors can affect the health and quality of life in the older adult. Nutrition plays a significant role in the health of

Nutrition is essential for the whole being of the individual. The body needs nutrients to be healthy and fight off acute illnesses and infections. Mauk (2014) stated that “elderly clients may be at increased risk for poor nutrition due to the fact that they have multiple chronic illnesses… that can interfere with their

Malnourishment is no longer an issue seen only in the indigent population and developing countries. Many Americans are also plagued with this issue, largely due to unhealthy food choices. Providing a multidisciplinary approach to public nutrition

Aging is inevitable, with age comes certain conditions, and diagnoses that affect healthy aging in Canadians. In Canada, and across the world, there are institutions that help care for people with these diagnoses. Nurses are one of the members of the health care team, and they help to try and reduce risks that can exist in aging Canadians. The purpose of this paper is to explore the risks of malnutrition in aging Canadians living in institutions who have vascular dementia.

The first article found was, “Socioeconomic Characteristics, Dietary and Lifestyle pattern, and Health and Weight Status of Older Adults in NHANES, A Comparison of Caucasians and African Americans”. The objectives of the study were to compare the socioeconomic, lifestyle, and health status of Caucasian (non-Hispanic whites) and African American (non-Hispanic blacks); to examine their food and nutrient intakes; and to compare their body weight status (Bowman, 2009). This study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The data collected included, dietary intakes, physical activity, economic and health status. The subjects that were chosen in this study included 1,398 Caucasian adults and 354 African American adults age 65 and older that had complete and reliable dietary intake data on day 1 on the survey. The dietary dada was collected using an interviewer- assisted, 24 hour recall method. The socioeconomic

In 2014, approximately 5.7 million people over the age of 60 were food insecure which comprises 9% of the entire senior population. This number is projected to increase by 50% by the time the youngest of the Baby Boom Generation reaches age 60 in 2025. It has been proven that food insecure seniors are at an increased risk for chronic health conditions where 60% of the aging population experience depression, 53% report a heart attack, 52% develop asthma, and 40% report a congestive health failure (Feeding America, 2016). Recognizably, for seniors in poverty, protecting themselves from food insecurity and hunger is a lot more difficult than the general population. For instance, researchers conducted a study that focused on the experience of food insecurity among the elderly population. They took a sample of 46 elderly households from three large cities in upstate New York utilizing purposive sampling. Older adults were recruited via subsidized housing programs, churches, congregated and home-delivered meals programs, and a Latino community worker. The elders varied by age, sex food programs used, spousal status, and mobility. The final sample comprised of 25 Latino older adults living in one large city, 28 non-Latino elders residing in two large cities. They found that most of the time, food insecure older adults did not have the means to afford the right foods for health and they did not have the capability to prepare food (Wolfe et. al, 2003). To slowly combat the issue of this insecurity, Title III Grants to State Formula of the 2016 OAA Reauthorization Act accounts for geographic changes in the older population. The bill regulates the formula for the Title III supportive services, assemble meals, home-delivered meals as well as preventive service programs. The formula

Hypothesis: Obesity amongst older individuals poses risk factors on health issues. Risk factor for many chronic conditions, including four of the ten leading causes of death in the U.S. -- coronary heart disease, type II diabetes, stroke and several forms of cancer. (Geriatric Nursing 1983) Obesity not only affects the health of older adults, it also affects their day-to-day lives. Decreased mobility related to muscle wasting, immobility causing decubitus ulcers. In the research I have conducted, more and more nursing homes possess residents that are obese, that are considered to have a calculated BMI greater than thirty-five. Obese geriatric patients are more likely to report poor

Nutritional well-being plays an essential role in the overall health, independence, and quality of life of older persons as well as disabled persons. This nation has a responsibility to at risk populations such as the elderly. Today, there are close to 6 million seniors in the United States facing the threat of hunger. Some of these citizens were raised during the Great Depression, they went on to protect our independence in the Second World War and won the cold war. America's older citizens have been called the greatest generation by many. It is morally wrong that the citizens that built this country should suffer starvation in this land of plenty, which they helped to form. Our country

      At any age, nutrition is vital to maintaining health and enhancing quality of life.  However, achieving good nutrition can be especially difficult for the elderly, the fastest growing portion of America's population.  Many factors, including physiological changes, changes in nutritional needs, illness and physical limitations, food-medication interactions, depression and loneliness, and food insecurity are common causes of malnutrition in the elderly.  This paper will explore factors affecting elderly nutrition, provide suggestions for obtaining and maintaining good nutrition after age 65, and describe the services available to help the elderly meet their nutritional needs.

For most us Americans, knowing when we’re going to eat next is something we very rarely think of, and when we do think about being hungry we still know where our food is coming from. Three big meals a day, and a few snacks in between, is how most of us live. It’s hard for us to imagine what its like for those who go days eating very little or nothing at all. But unfortunately that’s how it is for most of the world and surprisingly it happens in the United Sates as well. There are many reasons malnutrition can happen, and it happens to every age group. Even though there are many ways to treat it, in the