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Malnutrition
and Dehydration in Nursing Homes
Nursing homes are required to provide well-balanced meals
to residents and have adequate personnel to feed those that need assistance
in eating and drinking. Residents with dementia are sometimes difficult
to feed because they do not want to eat or refuse help from certain
people they do not have a special bond with. Some residents eat so slowly
and it is hard for some staff members to be patient.
Residents who do not receive adequate nutrition and hydration are at
a higher risk for the development of pressure ulcers, infection, weakness
leading to immobility, weight loss, renal failure, urinary tract infections,
falls Malnutrition and dehydration make it more difficult for existing
pressure ulcers and infections to heal.
There are a variety of factors which can lead to malnutrition and dehydration.
Depression, an increasing problem among the elderly, is a potential
cause of malnutrition and dehydration because individuals suffering
from depression have a tendency to eat and drink less and in turn to
do not receive appropriate vitamins and minerals to prevent malnutrition
or dehydration.
Other causes of malnutrition include dementia, difficulty swallowing,
and adverse drug effects such as vomiting and diarrhea. Nursing homes
often fail to take steps to prevent malnutrition and dehydration by
not monitoring resident food & water intake and output, not assisting
with meals, not providing the appropriate diet, not providing a comfortable
environment to promote eating and not providing food that is appetizing.
Increasing fluid intake in the elderly is very important. The nursing
home should implement a hydration program for anyone who might be at
risk for dehydration. The plan should include assisting the person with
drinking, offering fluids at mealtime and in between meals, looking
for signs and symptoms of dehydration, notifying the physician if such
signs and symptoms are present, recording the resident's fluid intake
and intravenous fluid replacement when the physician deems it necessary.
Malnutrition can lead to a variety of health
problems, such as:
• Dull eyes
• Pale skin, lips or mouth
• Poor skin elasticity
• Confusion and disorientation
• Swollen arms and lower legs (edema)
• Swollen lips, gums and/or dry tongue, cracks around the mouth
• Thinning hair
• Weight loss
• Falls
• Wounds that take longer than usual to heal
Dehydration can lead to a variety of health problems, such as:
• Confusion and disorientation
• Urinary tract infections
• Bedsores
• Pneumonia
• Death
• Renal failure
• Weight loss
• Stroke
• Weak, rapid pulse
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