journal articles
IDENTIFYING PRIORITY AREAS FOR IMPROVING FOOD AND FLUID INTAKE IN LONG-TERM CARE: MULTI-PROFESSIONAL VIEWS
S. Slaughter, C. Ickert, N. Carrier, C. Lengyel, H. Keller
Jour Nursing Home Res 2017;3:61-63
Objective: Poor food intake, which is preventable and treatable, is the primary cause of malnutrition among residents living in long-term care (LTC). The purpose of this study was to identify the perspective of a multi-professional group of LTC stakeholders on areas to target for intervention research in LTC to improve food and fluid intake of residents. Design: Descriptive survey design. Setting: long term care. Participants: A cross-provincial group of dietitians, administrators, food service managers, practice leads, policy makers, nurses, and physicians attended four symposiums and three presentations on a nutrition study. Attendees self-selected to participate. Measurements: Participants were asked to rank from 1 (first priority) to 10 (last priority) a list of potential determinants of resident food and fluid intake, which were previously prioritized by the International-Dining in Nursing home Experts (I-DINE) Consortium. Results: In total, 132 participants completed the ranking. Top ranked areas for intervention research were: adequate time to eat/availability of staff to assist; sensory properties of food; and choice and variety in the dining experience. Conversely, the I-DINE consortium highly ranked social interaction of residents; self-feeding ability; and dining environment. Conclusion: Perceptions of the priorities for targeting interventions to improve food and fluid intake may be divergent between expert groups and clinicians. Understanding priorities of local stakeholders is essential to developing effective interventions for the LTC context. The results of this study will inform future intervention development for improving food intake in LTC residents.
CITATION:
S. Slaughter ; C. Ickert ; N. Carrier ; C. Lengyel ; H. Keller (2017): Resident characteristics in an Australian psychogeriatric residential facility and their relationship with hospital admissions. The Journal of Nursing Home Research Science (JNHRS). http://dx.doi.org/10.14283/jnhrs.2017.10