Malnutrition among the elderly and the institutionalized

Malnutrition May...

• Delay Wound Healing
• Impede Quality of Life
• increase Risk of Infection
• Reduce Independence
• Compromise Disease Outcome
• Prolong Hospital Stay
• Increase Morbidity and Mortality

Age-related changes affecting the nutritional status of the elderly

Change	Effect
Sensory Impairment
▸ Decreased sense of taste	» Reduced Appetite
▸ decreased Sense of smell	» Reduced Appetite
▸ Loss of vision and hearing	» Decreased ability to purchase and prepare food
▸ Oral health / dental health	» Difficulty chewing, inflammation , poor quality diet
Altered energy needs	» Diet lacking in essentail nutrients
Decreased physical activity	» Progressive depletion of LBM and loss of appetite
Muscle loss (Sarcopenia)	» Decreased functional ability, assisatnce needed with ADLs
Psychosocial (isolation)	» Decreased appetite
Environmental (financial)	» Limited access to food; poor quality diet
Cumulative Effect » Progressive Undernutrition