Question

Patient malnutrition is a very real and serious matter; it can lead to a worsening of the patient's condition, a longer hospital stay, or even be as serious as to contribute to patient death. There are a variety of diseases, conditions, or situations in which patient malnutrition may occur; the malnutrition may develop while in the hospital, but it can also develop outside of the hospital as well. Choose a disease, condition, or situation in which a patient is likely to develop malnutrition and describe the characteristics or details of it. Note how malnutrition might develop in a patient (this could be a result of treatments, financial issues, drug interactions, etc.) and possible consequences of the malnutrition. In addition, discuss how malnutrition may be prevented, managed, or reversed in the patient. Are there specific tests that can be done to determine the nutritional status of your patient?

Answer 1

Lets take a situation of an old man with dementia. Older adults are more susceptible to malnutrition because they have weakened immune systems. Dementia is a condition that affects some older adults and often increases the risk of malnutrition. Malnutrition is often caused by too little food or not enough nutrients in the food that is being eaten.however, the reasons for this may be more complex.

-There is often a combination of physical, social and psychological factors that contribute to malnutrition.

-People that have dementia may develop trouble swallowing or chewing making it very hard for them to get the nutrients they need to avoid malnutrition.

'The elderly are often on fixed incomes, and living on a fixed income may compromise the food that they can afford They often opt for cheaper food
alternatives that may not offer the same nutrients as fresh food.

-Furthermore, With dementia, social contact is often decreased for the individual, and eating may not be enjoyable and may be skipped more often for this reason .

-And in hospital there will not be any good ambience to have good food.

Malnutrition can weaken the immune system making the person more susceptible to infections and also making it harder for that person to fight off the infection Malnutrition in the elderly can also lead to fatigue, decreased muscle function,
difficulty breathing and a worsening in memory retention and confusion

There are several ways to prevent malnutrition in the elderly, and in those with dementia.

-In order to increase the intake of food on a daily basis, elderly should try to eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day it is also helpful to
introduce extra protein and calories in the types of food and drink being ingested, such as milk, cheese and vegetables high in protein.

-Making sure roods are nutritious high energy, well balanced and high in protein will help the elderly person to maintain a balanced diet which helps prevent malnutrition.

-Further more, drinking plenty of fluids is essential. Other than maintaining a balanced diet.

-making sure that oral hygiene is maintained may prevent malnutrition .This is important so that the elderly are not kept from eating because or mouth plan.

-Support systems are another important aspect of preventing malnutrition Often times the elderly are alone, so having friends, family or care takers around to encourage eating and nutrition or to help cook/prepare meals is one recommendation for minimizing the risk of malnutrition

If malnutrition does occur, there are several ways to manage and even reverse it.

-One of the most important things is to talk to a doctor to identify the severity and determine the factors that have contributed to the malnutrition They may be able to adjust medications or prescribe medications l'f pain is the reason that the person is unable to eat.

-Another thing that can be done is to adjust the person's diet to increase their protein and nutrient intake. Eating foods like fruits, vegetables and nuts will help to reverse malnutrition.

Incresing overall caloric intake will also help, so having convenient, nutritious snacks readily available will make getting extra calories of energy
easier.

'with people with dementia having in home care or people to bring meals will encourage eating, otherwise a person with dementia may forget to eat .Having people around during meal time will make it more or a social event as well, which could encourage eating.

-Blood tests can be done to determine the individuals nutritional status if malnutrition is a Concern. Hemoglobin  levels can be measured, and if  they fall below a certain level, a person's nutritional status is not good .Vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin C, A, D, E, and K levels in the blood can be measured to determine nutritional status. Other minerals and level of blood lipids can also be measured All these together can be used to determine a person's nutritional status and can be used to identify malnutrition.