The effect of nutritional intervention in elderly subjects residing in group-living for the demented

Abstract

Objectives: We studied the nutritional status and the effects of nutritional intervention on body weight, cognition and activities of daily life (ADL)-function in demented individuals. Design: Controlled non-randomised study. Setting: Group-living for demented elderly (GLD), ie community assisted housing. Subjects and interventions: Twenty-two residents living in one of two units (GLD-I), received oral liquid supplements (1720 kJ=410 kcal=day) and the personnel of the GLD-I were given nutritional education. Fourteen residents in the other unit (GLD-C) served as controls. After 6 months 21 (83 (4) y, 81% women) and 12 (85 (4) y, 100% women) of the participants, respectively, were re-examined according to body mass index (BMI, kg=m 2 ), cognitive function (Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE, 0 -30 p) and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) and the Katz' ADL index. Results: Body mass index (BMI) 20 was found in 19% of the participants and 44% had BMI 23. BMI correlated with MMSE (r ¼ 0.43, P < 0.01). The weight of the residents in the intervention group increased by 3.4 (3) kg (P ¼ 0.001) at follow-up, whereas the weight remained unchanged in the control group. The cognitive function was low at the start in both groups, ie MMSE 9 and no apparent positive effect of the nutritional intervention was seen. In addition, the ADL functions appeared to deteriorate in both groups. Conclusions: Being underweight was common among demented elderly in group-living and was related to low cognitive capacity. Five months of oral supplementation, along with education of personnel, was followed by a weight gain. In this study the nutritional treatment did not affect the rate of decline in cognitive function or Katz' ADL index. Sponsorship: Supported by grants from the Swedish National Board of Health and Social Welfare. Semper Foods AB provided the liquid supplements.

Unintended weight loss in the elderly living at home: The aged in home care project (ADHOC)

“…Beck, Ovesen & Schroll (32), after 6 months' prospective follow-up of patients aged 65 years and older from general practice, concluded that a high percentage of the old, especially those initially malnourished, will not benefit from nutritional support if the basic causes of their malnutrition are not identified. Faxen-Irving et al (25) carried out a study in a group home for demented elderly, in community-assisted housing. The nutritional treatment did not affect the rate of decline in cognitive function or Katz' ADL index.…”

Effect of a nutrient-enriched drink on dietary intake and nutritional status in institutionalised elderly

“…Dietary intake was, however, not assessed (Faxén-Irving et al, 2002;Bonnefoy et al, 2003), or was assessed only at baseline (van-der-Wielen et al, 1995;Wouters-Wesseling et al, 2002). Other studies were mostly conducted in freeliving individuals and were of short duration (McKay et al, 2000) or were without a placebo treatment (Gray Donald et al, 1995;Krondl et al, 1999;Payette et al, 2002).…”

Nutrition education for care staff and possible effects on nutritional status in residents of sheltered accomodation

“…Alternatively, a combination of nutritional supplements and an education programme may have been more effective in this population group. For example, in another study, 5 months after such combined intervention in residents of group living for the demented, a weight gain of 3.5 kg was observed (Faxén-Irving et al, 2002).…”