How can I recognise problems with nutrition?
Under-nutrition is often poorly recognised and can have a significant impact on the outcomes of hospital admission and may contribute to the functional decline of the older person. Many older people are already at risk of under-nutrition on admission to hospital, and the impact of illness and hospitalisation may further compromise their nutritional status. Patients should be routinely weighed during hospital admission to establish their nutritional status and the effectiveness of treatments. A more formal way of ensuring that all patients are assessed for under-nutrition, or being at risk of under-nutrition, is to introduce routine nutrition risk screening on admission. At-risk patients who are identified early on in their admission and receive timely nutrition management, including referral to a dietitian, will have a shorter length of stay.
