Malnutrition and the Elderly

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the causes and contributing factors linked with malnutrition in the elderly. It also addresses ways to assess malnutrition in the aging population. The paper then focuses on interventions for malnutrition in the elderly in terms of health promotion principles and strategies. Additionally, the paper looks at primary, secondary and tertiary interventions.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Significance for Elderly Population
Assessment
Health Teaching and Learning Strategies
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"One strategy for teaching and health promotion is to make use of mentors who also are peers of the elderly person. It is essential that, whatever the specific type of health promotion program, the elderly person participate fully. The strategy of using volunteer peer educators is based in social learning theory as defined by the World Health organization, and can be very effective for providing nutrition education for the elderly (Panayota & Amanatidou 2003). Peer mentors mainly act as a support system for providing reliable nutrition information as well as educational materials. These mentors need to understand and practice healthy nutrition and preferably also be somewhat experienced with teaching. It is preferable that these mentors be experts on nutrition because research indicates that older people prefer that all their information related to health should come from expert sources (Panayota & Amanatidou 2003)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bischoff, H. & Staehelin, H. (2006). The effect of undernutrition in the development of frailty in older persons. Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 61A (6), 585-589.
• Ennis, B. & Saffel-Shrier, S. (2001). Malnutrition in the elderly: What nurses need to know. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 20 (6), 28-35.
• Herne, S. (1995). Research on food choice and nutritional status in elderly people. British Food Journal, 97 (9), 12-30.
• Panayota, S. & Amanatidou, A. (2003). The role of older volunteers in promoting healthy nutrition for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Promotion and Education, 10 (1), 11-17.
• Salva, A. & Corman, B. (2004). Minimum data set for nutritional intervention studies in elderly people. Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 59A (7), 724-730.

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