Is it possible to influence ability, willingness and understanding among nursing home care staff to implement nutritional guidelines? A comparison of a facilitated and an educational strategy.

BACKGROUND: Translating nutrition knowledge into care practice is challenging since multiple factors can affect the implementation process. This study examined the impact of two implementation strategies, that is external facilitation (EF) and educational outreach visits (EOVs), on the organisational context and individual factors when implementing nutritional guidelines in a nursing home (NH) setting. METHODS: The EF strategy was a one-year, multifaceted (including support, guidance, a practice audit and feedback) intervention given to four NH units. The EOV strategy was a three-hour lecture about the nutritional guidelines given to four other NH units. Both strategies were directed at selected NH teams, consisting of a unit manager, a nurse and 5-10 care staff. A questionnaire was distributed, before and after the interventions, to evaluate the prerequisites for the staff to use the guidelines. Three conditions were used to examine the organisational context and the individual factors: the staff's ability and willingness to implement the nutritional guidelines and their understanding of them. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation models were used for the data analysis. RESULTS: The results indicated that on average, there was a significant increase in the staff's ability to implement the nutritional guidelines in the EF group. The staff exposed to the EF strategy experienced better resources to implement the guidelines in terms of time, tools and support from leadership and a clearer assignment of responsibility regarding nutrition procedures. There was no change in staff's willingness and understanding of the guidelines in the EF group. On average, no significant changes were observed for the staff's ability, willingness or understanding in the EOV group. CONCLUSIONS: A long-term, active and flexible implementation strategy (i.e. EF) affected the care staff's ability to implement the nutritional guidelines in an NH setting. No such impact was observed for the more passive, educational approach (i.e. EOV).

The effects of nutritional guideline implementation on nursing home staff performance: a controlled trial.

RATIONALE: Suboptimal nutritional practices in elderly care settings may be resolved by an efficient introduction of nutritional guidelines. AIMS: To compare two different implementation strategies, external facilitation (EF) and educational outreach visits (EOVs), when introducing nutritional guidelines in nursing homes (NHs), and study the impact on staff performance. METHODOLOGICAL DESIGN: A quasi-experimental study with baseline and follow-up measurements. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was staff performance as a function of mealtime ambience and food service routines. INTERVENTIONS/RESEARCH METHODS: The EF strategy was a 1-year, multifaceted intervention that included support, guidance, practice audit and feedback in two NH units. The EOV strategy comprised one-three-hour lecture about nutritional guidelines in two other NH units. Both strategies were targeted to selected NH teams, which consisted of a unit manager, a nurse and 5-10 care staff. Mealtime ambience was evaluated by 47 observations using a structured mealtime instrument. Food service routines were evaluated by 109 food records performed by the staff. RESULTS: Mealtime ambience was more strongly improved in the EF group than in the EOV group after the implementation. Factors improved were laying a table (p = 0.03), offering a choice of beverage (p = 0.02), the serving of the meal (p = 0.02), interactions between staff and residents (p = 0.02) and less noise from the kitchen (p = 0.01). Food service routines remained unchanged in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: An EF strategy that included guidance, audit and feedback improved mealtime ambience when nutritional guidelines were introduced in a nursing home setting, whereas food service routines were unchanged by the EF strategy.

Nutritional status predicts preterm death in older people: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: There is an association between malnutrition and mortality. However, it is uncertain whether this association is independent of confounders. The aim of the present study was to examine whether nutritional status, defined according to the three categories in the full Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) instrument, is an independent predictor of preterm death in people 65 years and older. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included individuals aged ≥65 years who were admitted to hospital between March 2008 and May 2009 and followed-up after 50 months (n = 1767). Nutritional status was assessed with the MNA, and possible risk factors associated with malnutrition were recorded during participants hospital stay. Main outcome measure was overall survival. RESULTS: Based on the MNA definitions, 628 (35.5%) were well-nourished, 973 (55.1%) were at risk of malnutrition, and 166 (9.4%) of the participants were malnourished at baseline. During the follow-up period 655 (37.1%) participants died. At follow-up, the survival rates were 75.2% for well-nourished participants, 60.0% for those at risk of malnutrition, and 33.7% for malnourished participants (p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounders the hazard ratios (95% CI) for all-cause mortality were 1.56 (1.18-2.07) in the group at risk of malnutrition and 3.71 (2.28-6.04) in the malnourished group. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional status defined according to the three categories in the full MNA independently predicts preterm death in people aged 65 years and older. These findings are clinically important and emphasise the usefulness of the MNA for screening of nutritional status.

Mealtime habits and meal provision are associated with malnutrition among elderly patients admitted to hospital.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Large-scale studies performed in hospitals with the validated Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) tool are scarce. However, factors associated with malnutrition are important for identifying individuals at risk. The aims of the present study were to estimate the prevalence of malnutrition and to examine the association between mealtime habits, meal provision, and malnutrition among elderly patients admitted to hospital. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included patients aged ≥65 years admitted to internal medicine, surgical or orthopaedic wards. The MNA was used for their nutritional assessment, and factors potentially associated with malnutrition were recorded. RESULTS: Of 1771 patients (mean age 78 years), 35.5% were well-nourished, 55.1% were at risk of malnutrition and 9.4% were malnourished. Overnight fasts exceeding 11 h, fewer than four eating episodes a day, and not cooking independently were associated with both malnutrition and risk of malnutrition. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of malnutrition was high among elderly patients admitted to hospital, whereas the proportion with fully developed malnutrition was lower than expected. A long overnight fast, few eating episodes, and not cooking independently were associated with an increased risk of malnutrition. Knowledge of these factors when providing care to the elderly may assist health-care professionals to prevent malnutrition.

Does undernutrition still prevail among nursing home residents?

BACKGROUND & AIMS: During recent years public awareness about malnutrition has increased and collective initiatives have been undertaken. Simultaneously, the number of older adults is increasing, and the elderly care has been placed under pressure. The aim was to assess the nutritional situation and one-year mortality among nursing home (NH) residents, and compare with historical data. METHODS: Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), ADL Barthel Index (BI), Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), EQ-5D, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and blood samples were collected from 172 NH residents (86.3 ± 8 years, 70% women). Mortality data was taken from NH records. Nutritional data from 166 NH residents (83.8 ± 8 years, 61% women) examined in 1996 was retrieved for historical comparison. RESULTS: The prevalence of malnutrition was 30%, as compared to 71% in the historical data set, corresponding to a present average body mass index of 23.7 ± 5.1 compared with 22.3 ± 4.2 kg/m(2) (p < 0.01). Reduced nutritional status was associated with decline in function (p < 0.001) and cognition (p < 0.01). One-year mortality was 24%. Regression analyses indicated high age (OR = 1.09, 95% CI (1.03-1.16)), high scores in CCI (OR = 1.54, (1.19-1.99)), low BMI (OR = 2.47, (1.14-5.38)) and malnutrition (OR = 2.37, (1.07-5.26)) to be independently associated with one-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition still prevails and is associated with deteriorated cognition, function and increased mortality. A possible improvement in nutritional status in NH residents over time was observed.

Nutritional status and a 3-year follow-up in elderly receiving support at home.

BACKGROUND: Elderly receiving public services and care are often frail, suffer from chronic diseases, and sustain a high risk for malnutrition. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate nutritional status and long-term outcome in elderly living at home. METHODS: Of 507 eligible subjects receiving home care in five Swedish municipalities, we examined 353 (age 82+/-7 years, 64% females). The subjects were interviewed, and the nutritional status was assessed by means of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (0-30 points; the lower the score, the greater the risk). The Mini Nutritional Assessment consists of 18 questions concerning, e.g., anthropometry (body mass index or BMI; kg/m2) and global and dietary issues. The mortality was evaluated in 224 study participants after a 3-year period. In one municipality, 31 of 64 elderly were reexamined after 3 years. RESULTS: 8 and 41% of the elderly were assessed as malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, respectively. BMIs <20 and <23 were found in 12 and 31% of the subjects, respectively. Chewing and swallowing problems and reduced appetite were more often reported by those at risk of being malnourished compared with the well-nourished study participants (p<0.001). Meals-on-wheels services were given to one third, of whom 66% used one portion for several meals. The 3-year mortality was 50% for those who were malnourished, 40% for those at risk of malnutrition, and 28% for the well-nourished group (p<0.05). The corresponding mortality was 50% for subjects with a BMI<20, 35% for those with BMIs 20-28, and 27% for those with a BMI>28 (p=0.05). After 3 years, a weight loss of 4.0+/-5.8 kg was registered (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: About half of the home-living elderly with public support were malnourished or were at risk of malnutrition. The malnourished subjects often had problems during mealtimes and seldom ate full meals. Elderly with a BMI>28 displayed the lowest risk of death within 3 years.