Nutrition


New food technology: changing the game


Ketan Shah, founder and managing director of PredicAire, discusses the importance of nutrition and hydration in elderly care, and explains why incorporating a nutrition app into your Care Management System (CMS) could be a gamechanger


“The most powerful tool to change your health, environment, and entire world is your fork.”Dr Mark Hyman It has long been accepted that there is a clear link between healthy eating and wellbeing, and nowhere is this more important than in care for the elderly. How much we eat and drink, and what we consume, can have a direct effect on our mood, concentration levels, and overall wellness. However, as we age our appetites often lessen, or we at times become intolerant to different types of food. There are many reasons for this, including a decreased metabolic rate, medications which can affect taste or appetite, sensory changes (such as loss of taste), depression, dental issues, and reduced physical activity. Although a reduced appetite alone is not a significant problem, long-term it can be a risk factor, as being underweight is a greater risk factor for death than being overweight in the elderly population.1 Therefore, preventing malnutrition, and


identifying and treating it if it does occur, is an important policy in care settings. In the long term, promoting good nutrition helps promote better outcomes for residents.


The risks of malnutrition Malnutrition can affect the body in many different ways, and there are many signs that someone may be malnourished apart from simply losing weight. These include increased tiredness, constipation, and changes in behaviour. Being malnourished makes it harder to fight infections and reduces muscle density, thereby decreasing mobility and increasing the risk of falls. Wounds heal more slowly and there is an increased risk of pressure sores/ulcers. It can also impact on the body’s ability to regulate temperature, leading to a greater risk of hypothermia. While these complications pose a threat at any age, the risk to older people who may have other morbidities is far greater. Malnutrition can, therefore, have a


considerable impact on older people’s health and wellbeing, leading to reduced independence and a greater reliance on health and social care support. Indeed, the government impact assessment Helping older people maintain a healthy diet: a review of what works estimated that a greater use of healthcare as a result of malnutrition results in 65 per cent more GP visits and 82 per cent more hospital admissions. It could be argued that, if a person is living in a care home, it is easier to encourage them to eat and monitor what they are eating than if they are living alone at home. People living independently sometimes keep a food diary for this reason, but if the visiting care staff are not there until the meal is finished, they will not know if it has been consumed or thrown away. However, although staff in a care home serve meals and clear away dishes, not all homes encourage (or are able to have) their staff to stay with every resident during their mealtimes. For this reason, it is as difficult to monitor and record what is actually being consumed as it is for people living at home. In some care facilities, pro-active steps are being taken to encourage residents to eat. An obvious one is to encourage them to play a part in food preparation and choices, to make them feel that they are contributing to the meal and therefore more likely to want to enjoy the fruits of their labour. An example of this are residents’ vegetable gardens, such as the one situated at Nynehead Court in Wellington, Somerset. The home’s residents help to grow vegetables which are used as part of their meals, with assistance from the gardening team. This has the added bonus of creating a very a low carbon footprint for the home and the meals it provides, while also acting as a physical activity. Homes also use food as part of their activities programme, with options to make pizzas, and/or decorate


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