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Maintaining nutrition in aged care residents with a train-the-trainer intervention and nutrition coordinator

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the impact of a train-the-trainer program on the nutritional status of older people in residential care.

Design

Prospective, randomized controlled study.

Setting

Eight nursing homes in Southeast Queensland, Australia.

Participants

Intervention

Residents from four nursing homes were randomly selected for a nutrition education program coordinated by Nutrition Coordinators. Residents from the other four nursing homes (control) received usual care.

Measurements

The Subjective Global Assessment was used to determine prevalence of malnutrition at baseline and six months post intervention. The Resident Classification Scale measured functional dependency. Prescribed diet, fluids, oral hygiene status and allied health referrals were obtained by chart audit.

Results

Approximately half the residents were well nourished with 49.4% moderately or severely malnourished. Residents in the intervention group were more likely to maintain or improve their nutritional status compared with the control group who were more likely to experience a deterioration (P=0.027). The odds of the control group being malnourished post test was 1.6 times more likely compared with the intervention group but this did not reach statistical significance (P=0.1).

Conclusion

The results of the study encourage the implementation of a Nutrition Coordinator program to maintain nutritional status of aged care residents. Nevertheless, malnutrition rates continue to be unacceptably high. In a rapidly aging society, the aged care sector needs to confront malnutrition and provide better resources for staff to take measures against this problem.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing & Midwifery, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

    Deanne Gaskill

  2. Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

    E. A. Isenring

  3. Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    L. J. Black

  4. Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

    S. Hassall

  5. Department of Nutrition, The Wesley Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia

    J. D. Bauer

  6. Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove 4059, Brisbane, Australia

    Deanne Gaskill

Authors
  1. Deanne Gaskill
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  2. E. A. Isenring
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  3. L. J. Black
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  4. S. Hassall
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  5. J. D. Bauer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Deanne Gaskill.

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Gaskill, D., Isenring, E.A., Black, L.J. et al. Maintaining nutrition in aged care residents with a train-the-trainer intervention and nutrition coordinator. J Nutr Health Aging 13, 913–917 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-009-0251-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-009-0251-2

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