Effects of Nutritional Intervention in Long-Term Care in Korea

초록

Institutionalized older adults are known to be at high risk of malnutrition, but few nutritional interventions have been used for older adults in long-term care (LTC) settings. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of implementing a nutritional intervention involving nursing staff education, facilitation, and a shared algorithm (NIEFA) for institutionalized older adults in Korea. A quasi-experimental pre-and posttest design was used. Patients in two LTC facilities were assigned to an intervention (n=23) or control (n=22) group. After completion of the 4-week NIEFA program, significant improvements were found in the intervention group's daily energy intake (t=3.832, p < 0.001), total lymphocytes (t=3.87, p < 0.001), hemoglobin levels (t=4.991, p < 0.001), hematocrit levels (t=4.305, p < 0.001), and Mini Nutritional Assessment scores (t=10.223, p < 0.001). Implementation of NIEFA in a LTC facility may be effective in improving the nutritional status of older adults with or at risk of malnutrition.

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