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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).

Objectives: Studies on implementation techniques that focus on nutrition in the setting of elderly care are scarce. The aims of this study were to compare two implementation strategies i.e., external facilitation ( EF) and educational outreach visits ( EOVs), in order to introduce nutritional guidelines ( e.g. screening, food quality and mealtime ambience), into a nursing home ( NH) setting and to evaluate the clinical outcomes. Design: A controlled study with baseline and follow-up measurements. Setting: Four NHs. Participants: A total of 101 NH residents. Intervention: The EF was a one-year, multifaceted intervention that included support, guidance, practice audits, and feedback that were provided to two NHs. The EOVs performed at the other NHs consisted of one session of three hours of lectures about the guidelines. Both interventions targeted a team of the unit manager, the head nurse, and 5-10 of the care staff. Measurements: The outcomes were nutritional status ( Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form, MNA-SF), body mass index ( BMI), functional ability ( Barthel Index, BI), cognitive function ( Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, SPMSQ, performed in a subgroup of communicative NH residents), health-related quality of life ( EQ-5D), and the levels of certain biochemical markers like for example vitamin D, albumin and insulin-like growth factor 1. Results: After a median of 18 months, nutritional parameters ( MNA-SF and BMI) remained unchanged in both groups. While there were no differences in most outcomes between the two groups, the cognitive ability of those in the EOV group deteriorated more than in individuals in the EF group ( p=0.008). Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that the intervention group assignment ( EF) was independently from other potentially related factors associated with less cognitive decline. Conclusion: An extended model of implementation of nutritional guidelines, including guidance and feedback to NH staff, did not affect nutritional status but may be associated with a delayed cognitive decline in communicative NH residents.

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.

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.

Background & aims: Large-scale studies performed in hospitals with the validated Mini Nutritional Assessment tool (MNA) 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 hours, 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.