Dietetic Intervention in Private Residential Care for the Elderly Available to Purchase

Figures from the USA and the UK suggest that a high proportion of elderly people in residential care would benefit from dietary therapy for common degenerative disorders. A postal survey examined the extent to which dietary advice was made available to homes and social service departments. The results showed that minimal contact between homes,social services and dietitians was the norm – 14 per cent of social service departments employed a dietitian; only 3 and 5 per cent respectively involved them on advisory committees. Concludes that the potential of dietitians to improve residents′ quality of life has not been fully exploited and thus nutritional care is based on a reactive system.