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Learn MoreHunger in our communities is often a tough problem to see, let alone combat. Unbeknownst to us, our neighbors may not have the resources to buy food. Others live in a food desert, where there are few if any grocery stores or venues where nutritional food can be purchased. Exacerbating the problem, there’s also an unwillingness to self-report on food insecurity, as people may not want their situation known. Those are just a few reasons why Malnutrition Awareness Week, coming up Sept. 23-27, is such a good time for providers to assess how they can help improve patient outcomes around diet and eating.
It’s a bigger problem than we might think. Here’s a snapshot from WhyHunger:
Often, and understandably, the focus of hunger relief and malnutrition-abatement efforts is on children. For adults, however, the issue can be equally severe. Food insecurity can lead to illness and the development of chronic diseases, as well as contribute to or exacerbate mental health issues, such as depression.
Food insecurity creates negative outcomes for seniors
Further, the effects of malnutrition on seniors is also extreme. They can experience rapid health declines, as well as cognitive function impairment and accelerated chronic disease development. Providers can do their part to identify malnutrition in seniors. A sudden weight loss, for instance, is a red flag. Asking if the patient is eating and what they are eating can be informative questions around this issue, and are not overly intrusive. It could be that a new medication is affecting the patient’s appetite, for instance, and so the issue can be addressed by looking at possible substitutes. There could also be other environmental concerns, such as a new residence, loss of a spouse or partner, or other sudden change to the home setting that is affecting diet and eating habits.
One way to assess a senior is by using the FRAIL acronym, say Dr. Eleanor McConnell, director of the Duke Centers for Excellence in Geriatric Nursing Education, and Dr. Mitchell Heflin, associate professor of medicine at the Duke School of Medicine and senior fellow in the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, who recently spoke to HealthStream about the issue. FRAIL means:
Making these evaluations in the physician’s office, or early in a hospitalization, can help address current situations as well as reduce future risk. It also allows for better release planning and lowering that risk during transition also helps reduce adverse outcomes and readmissions.
“Frailty, in combination with other risk factors, increases an older patient’s vulnerability to a difficult transition of care and re-hospitalization,” McConnell says. “Older patients are more vulnerable during transitions of care because they may have poor health literacy, decreased social support, functional impairment, and or medical problems, such as coexisting chronic medical problems.”
“Over 80% of older adults in the acute care setting are malnourished. Poor nutrition can be caused by social isolation, depression or cognitive impairment.,” Heflin adds. “For adults living at home, poor nutrition may result from a reduced appetite or a lack of transportation that limits access to healthy foods. Financial constraints can also be a factor.”
Providers can do much to combat the issue of food insecurity and malnutrition in older adults. In addition to the FRAIL assessment, they may also be able to connect the patient and their family to community resources for food or meal delivery. Whatever the case, now is a good time to take a look at whether or not diet and nutrition are a part of ongoing care assessment for patients, as well as learning what outside resources are available so that helpful referrals can be made.
HealthStream’s learning management system and healthcare training solutions support medical training initiatives and allow for the best patient care.
View All Learning & PerformanceHealthStream offers performance learning management solutions to help develop your healthcare staff into leaders and reduce turnover.
View All ProductsHealthStream works with healthcare organizations to create engaging and high-quality training videos for your staff and management.
View All ProductsImprove care quality and save money by making informed decisions about your healthcare facility and staff with HealthStream's reporting analytics solution.
View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
View All ProductsWhen you enact HealthStream's quality compliance solutions, you can do so with the confidence your healthcare organization will meet all standards of care.
View All Quality & ComplianceBe confident in your staff’s ability to reduce risk by providing compliance training that changes behavior.
View All ProductsDevelop next-level people for next-level care by prioritizing quality and safety improvements.
View All ProductsEstablish a culture of belonging with education supporting DEI, wellness, engagement, and leadership development.
View All ProductsUtilize patient access solutions and advanced reimbursement solutions to manage clinical denials and improve your organization’s reimbursement strategy.
View All ReimbursementExpand the decision-making skills and effectiveness of your healthcare workforce with HealthStream's clinical development programs and services.
View All Clinical DevelopmentLearn about our advanced resuscitation training solutions. Our solutions are designed to help improve patient outcomes.
View All ProductsOur competency development solutions personalize learning for clinicians to bridge the gap between theory and practice for your nurse residents.
View All ProductsEnhance maternal & child nursing care with solutions focused on improving the quality of care for mothers, infants, and children.
View All ProductsAddress staffing orientation challenges to easily achieve and maintain certification with our emergency and acute care training solutions.
View All ProductsAs a premier provider of healthcare education, we are committed to promoting safer, more successful surgical and sedation outcomes for each and every patient.
View All ProductsOur solutions are designed to cater to the needs of patients, healthcare professionals, and organizations dealing with illnesses or chronic conditions.
View All ProductsOnline clinical placement software allows schools, healthcare organizations, and students to seamlessly manage clinical and nursing rotations.
View All ProductsComprehensive, industry-leading provider onboarding and credentialing software that validates health outcomes and supports provider assessment.
View All CredentialingOur affordable CVO credentialing services establish patient safety by enabling primary source verification for your healthcare organization.
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View All ProductsMake sure your healthcare staff can schedule out appointments and work schedules with ease using HealthStream's line of software solutions.
View All SchedulingHealthcare workforce management is essential. We provide advanced scheduling solutions for organizations to solve issues such as nurse retention
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