Nutrition assessment in older adults Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Nutrition mind in older adults - Essay Examples defined as faulty or inadequate nutritional status undernouishment characterized by insufficient dietary intake poor appetite, muscle wasting and weight loss (Chen et al, 2001 131).Malnutrition in the hoary can lead to disability, functional dependency, higher morbidity, mortality, immune dysfunction, greater demand for health care resources and reduced quality of life. Among hospitalized older adults there is as well delayed recovery and increased complications (McCall & Cotton, 2001 137). According to The National Service Framework for Older People in England and Wales, nutrition risk screening or assessment tools help to identify those with nutritional concerns, in order to develop appropriate nutrition care plans (DoH, 2001 54). Without adequate interventions, malnutrition can cause a steady right in the well-being, quality of life and life-expectancy of elderly individuals.The Research Statement This paper proposes to study the requirement for nutritional assessment among older adults, compare and contrast devil nutritional assessment strategies Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) and Mini Nutrition Assessment (MNA) and evaluate how a nurse may utilise these tools to assess elderly patients.The lack of formalised and consistent nutritional assessment for older adults, along with the need to improve nursing knowledge has been recognized by the Senior hold in and Midwifery Advisory Council (SNMAC 2001) in its audit of standards for older people (Bailey, 2006 20). The author found from research that few nursing staff had received formal facts of life in the specific nutritional needs of older people, and there was a lack of assessment and planned care. The need for systematic screening is emphasized because of get evidence that malnourishment is neither fully recognized nor treated in hospitals. Treating malnutrition can improve outcomes for hospitalized and unwell elderly individuals.Malnutriti on and its debilitating outcomes