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Elderly suffering from malnutrition essay
Introduction about malnutrition
Research on general malnutrition
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Malnutrition is both a cause and a consequence of ill-health. The term malnutrition can apply to various states – under-nutrition, over-nutrition or deficiencies of specific nutrients (8).Malnutrition is common but under-recognised in the elderly. Clinicians are seldom taught about the subject during their undergraduate or postgraduate level.Malnutrition can lead to serious consequences in terms of morbidity and mortality (5).Undernutrition is a global problem that is usually caused by a lack of food or alimited range of foods that provide inadequate amounts of specific nutrients or other food components, e.g. protein, dietary fibre and micronutrients. Excessive intake of food or specific forms of food may also be harmful. Malnutrition among older persons can occur in economically disadvantaged groups even within privileged societies, and in pockets of poverty or social isolation. Reasons for undernutrition include decreased food availability and affordability; lack of interest or awareness affecting intake; malabsorption or increased nutrient requirements; and traditional habits or beliefs whether of the elderly or their caretakers.(2) Frail elderly people in the community, in nursing homes or in hospital are at increased risk of malnutrition. In many instances,this malnutrition, affecting health, well-being and ability to overcome disease or injury, goes unrecognised by physicians,often due to their meagre training in nutritional assessment.(4)Malnutrition is prevalent in elderly populations, even in the developed world .Among hospitalized elderly, nutritional status is even poorer. Protein-energy malnutrition has been reported in up to 15% of community-dwelling and home-bound elderly individuals, up to 62% of hospitalized elder...
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...milk powder instead of milk. You can also obtain the calcium you require from foods such as low-fat cheese, broccoli, and yogurt.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is usually absorbed by an intrinsic factor in the stomach. Many of the elderly suffer from Vitamin B12 deficiency because they suffer from atrophic gastritis, a medical condition characterized by inflammation of the walls of the stomach, growth of bacteria, and lack of the intrinsic factor that is responsible for the absorption of this vitamin into the system.
The elderly need each of the above nutritive elements to keep themselves in a healthy condition. The elderly should be as active as possible and take a good balanced diet. The elderly body may not be what it once used to be; this does not mean you have a reason to neglect it. You should take enough nutrition to enjoy a long and healthy life.(7)
A Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) was completed on Anne. The MNA is a tool used to provide a rapid assessment of elderly patients’ nutritional status. The MNA is made up of simple measurements and a few brief questions that can be completed by the patient in no more than ten minutes. The nutritional status of a patient is evaluated using a two-step process to accurately determine a patient’s nutritional status (McGee
Ingested vitamin B12 is typically protein bound, and is released by pepsin and gastric acid before binding with R-proteins in the stomach (a). Proteases in the small intestine then release B12, which binds the protein intrinsic factor (IF), protecting B12 from further degradation by intestinal bacteria (a). Binding IF is required for absorption by the intestinal epithelium, and subsequent entry into circulation (j).
MUST is a five-step screening tool designed for healthcare professionals to identify adult patients who at risk of, or are malnourished. It includes guidelines on how to develop an effective treatment plan. The Malnutrition Advisory Group (MAG) in 2000 adapted and extended their community screening tool to include care homes and hospitals, in response to national concerns. (Department of Health, 2001). In 2003 MUST was designed by MAG and the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN). It was piloted across many care settings, to target patients who may be at risk of malnutrition.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Caregivers." Senior Health: How to Prevent and Detect Malnutrition. N.p., 23 Sept. 2011. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
For instance, there have been several nutritional interventions implemented in health care facilities. Specifically, screening can be effective in health care facilities to aid in identifying poor nutrition among the elderly, which is often undetected. Additionally, screening tools has been used to establish appropriate nutritional meals. One study by researchers Babineau, Jolyne, Villalon, Laporte, Manon, & Payette (2008) showed that the introduction of screening in a general hospital raised awareness of nutrition-related care. In this intervention dietitians conducts a full nutritional assessment and implemented a nutritional care plan for patients aged 65 or older (Babineau et al., 2008). The nutrition care program included nutritional screening, timely intervention, and close dietitian
Vitamin B12 is a powerhouse, it helps make DNA, nerve and blood cells and is crucial for a healthy brain and immune system. It is estimated that up to 15% of people don't get enough of this essential nutrient.
Recently, there has been a federal law change that says schools must provide a drink, whether it is milk or juice, and a larger portion of fruits or vegetables for after-school programs as well as before and during school hours. Milk and juice provide greater nutrient intakes as well as vitamins (4). Milk, in particular, provides a significant amount of calcium and helps build strong bones and teeth. Likewise, larger portions of vegetables and fruits give children vitamins, minerals and fiber that will keep them energized throughout the day (4).
A number of factors influence the nutritional status of the elderly. First, several physiological changes impact elderly nutritional requirements. Changes in taste and smell may decrease an individual's appetite or desire for food. Gastro-intestinal motility decreases with age and may lead to constipation, decreased nutrient absorption, and a decrease in fat and protein absorption. Metabolism also slows with age; this results in a decrease of lean body mass and an increase in body fat (8). Lastly, bone mass decreases, leaving the elderly vulnerable to bone fractures from falls and osteoporosis.
Nutrition assessments include clinical and dietary assessment, anthropometrics, as well as biochemical, laboratory immunologic and functional indices of nutritional status (Gibney, 2005). In epidemiological studies, different dietary investigation tools were designed to assess the nutritional status in individuals and populations, nutrition monitoring and surveillance and diet-disease research (Friedenreich, et al., 1992, Taren, 2002).
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that plays an important role in DNA synthesis and nerve function. It is contained in high amounts in animal derived foods such as milk, eggs, and meat. The vitamin is stored in the liver long-term. Individuals with vegetarian, vegan, or other forms of restricted diet may develop the condition after approximately 6 months as liver stores of vitamin B12 become depleted. Some individuals develop the condition due to autoimmune destruction of cells in the stomach that produce intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor is necessary for proper absorption of vitamin B12 in the small intestine.
The patient may no longer be able to orally take in food, and the artificial means of feeding may worsen the patient’s quality of life. The concept of food cessation is often difficult for the patient’s friends and family to understand and accept, especially because food is essential to life, and eating is a sociocultural experience. Family must be reminded that to feed the patient may do more harm than good. However, until the time that oral intake stops, nurses must be providing other ways to increase the patient’s nutrient intake. The performance of symptom assessments and the development of plans of care should begin at the time of diagnosis and continue throughout the remainder of the patient’s life. These assessments and plans of care are both critical to preventing the onset of early malnutrition and to maintaining the patient’s quality of
Calcium is essential to normal functioning in a healthy individual; this only leaves the question of where to get it. There are many sources available to meet daily requirements, two of which are dairy products and supplemental vitamins. Both of these options have qualities that make them appealing, so choosing might be difficult or even come to a middle ground. Some of the considerations to be made are: what calcium is, the types of calcium in each source, how much should be ingested daily, the body’s ability to absorb and tolerate calcium from the chosen source, and the interactions that might occur with other medicines and required daily nutrients. In both cases a decent nutritional diet still needs to be incorporated. It may seem like a simple choice between a couple of pills a day or 3-4 glasses of milk, but there is quite a bit more
To keep the body at optimum level, you need to take the necessary steps to maintain your health as well as prevent the onset of diseases. It is therefore important to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle—by eating nutritious food, doing daily exercise and using natural health products.
Even though there are numerous families that struggle to put food on the table, protein deficiency is rare in the United States, but can be seen in third world countries like Africa. However, protein deficiency disorders can occur even in the United States with people suffering from “alcoholism, anorexia nervosa, or certain intestinal tract disorders, [as well as] those who are elderly, have limited incomes, and are chronically ill”(Schiff 2013). Under nutrition of any kind is due to a lack of food in some fashion whether from crop failures, political unrest, or civil wars, but the etiology of Kwashiorkor and other protein deficiencies is often more complicated. Protein energy malnutrition (also known as PEM) affects people who do not consume sufficient amounts of protein. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 18% of children are underweight due to malnutrition of some kind, including protein-energy malnutrition. There are in fact two types of PEM, kwashiorkor and marasmus. Kwashiorkor is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in developing countries, primarily occurring where mothers breastfeed their infants until they give birth to another child. The older
...ts. It is important to understand which substances need to be consumed more than others and also why the body needs to consume a substance. Proper diet and nutrition is a vital component to a long and healthy life.