Being a critical care nurse in a tertiary hospital, I have handled a lot of patients who were at risk for malnutrition most especially to those who belong to the adult age group as well as the senior citizens. They could hardly enjoy their meals for the following reasons: bland taste, inability to chew food, and minimal body movements thus resulting to improper absorption of nutrients.
More often than not, these patients are in and out of the hospital for several reasons (based from my experience), some due to complications and others basically due to weight loss. But we never really take into consideration our oral health nutrition because it has become the least of our priority especially with the elderly. All the while when we thought they are taking their medications and have a balanced diet is enough to cover the nutritional needs and physical well being.
Dr. Nina Sioson talks about the importance of oral health nutrition in each of us and explained how it affects our well being. Malnutrition as defined, as the acute and subacute chronic state of nutrition in varying degrees may it be overnutrition or undernutrition, which may lead to change in body composition and diminished function.
What is really the impact of Oral Nutritional Supplements? What is in for us?
A retrospective study was conducted to assess the association and the impact of ONS on health outcomes for hospitalized patients. The analysis utilized information from more than one adult inpatient cases found in the 2000-2010 Premier Research Database maintained by the Premier Health Care Alliance—representing 44 million hospital episodes at 460 sites across the United States.
The result of this study demonstrated that oral nutritional supplements provided during hospitalization were associated with a: 21% decrease in length of stay21% decrease in episode cost—approximately $4,734 savings There was a 6.7% decrease in probability of 30-day hospital readmissions in patients with at least one known follow up.
How do we know if we are at risk for undernutrition? There are three easy steps we can ask ourselves if we are at risk for undernutrition.
- Did you experience weight loss unintentionally within the past three months?
- Did you have decreased food intake for the past three months?
- Do you often have difficulty eating/chewing and swallowing food?
If we have one YES answer to these questions, it means we are at risk.
Dr. Jose Rodolfo Dimaano talks about how we can solve and reduce the hospital stay on a much bigger scale. He also testified that his father when confined has shorter hospital stay because of the Oral Nutrition.
With bright prospective, elderly patients can cut cost with their hospitalization as well as the dreadful trip being in and out of the hospital. We should take this into consideration what it may bring us for a better well being as well as our loved ones.
Disclaimer:
I received a free sample of Abbott Ensure from Abbott Nutrition but information expressed here in this article are based from my honest opinion.
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