Objectives: To evaluate the acceptance of a multinutrient liquid nutrition supplement in psycho-geriatric nursing home patients and the effect on weight, plasma nutrients and activities of daily life. Design: Double-blind, placebo-controlled 12-week intervention study. Setting: Two nursing homes in Boxtel, The Netherlands. Subjects: Forty-two (body mass index (BMI) < 23 kg=m 2 for men or < 25 kg=m 2 for women) psycho-geriatric nursing home patients aged 60 y or over. Interventions: Provision with a complete micronutrient-enriched liquid nutrition supplement of 125 ml and 0.6 MJ (135 kcal) or placebo twice daily during daytime between main meals. Study parameters were assessed at 0, 6 and 12 weeks. Main Outcome for Measures: Weight, Barthel index of daily activities, several plasma values (albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), homocysteine, thiamine, thiamine diphosphate (TDF), vitamin B 6 , vitamin B 12 , folic acid, vitamin D), bowel function. Results: The supplement was well accepted. Thirty-five patients completed the intervention period (16 control group; 19 supplement group). Baseline daily nutrient intake was low. A statistically significant improvement was observed for body weight (difference between groups 2.2 kg, P ¼ 0.03), and homocysteine, vitamin B 1 , TDF, vitamin B 6 , vitamin B 12 , folate and vitamin D in the supplement group compared to the placebo group. No significant difference was observed in the Barthel index (mean difference 7 0.3 AE 1.1 for both groups). No difference in occurrence of diarrhoea was observed. Conclusions: The study shows that nutritional supplementation is well accepted and can improve the nutritional status of psycho-geriatric nursing home patients.

Early provision of a liquid nutrition supplement immediately after onset of acute illness from infection leads to weight gain in elderly psychogeriatric nursing home residents.

Fewer patients with pressure ulcers in Dutch nursing homes receive nutritional therapy via sip feeds, possibly because of cost concerns. But this therapy would not cost more if it reduced the duration of nursing care by even one day, this paper argues.