Malnutrition can create serious problems – weakened immunity, immobility, infection, lowered healing ability, easy to falling down and bone fracture. Dysphagia of elderly, no teeth to chew food, taste bud change because of medicine, lack of appetite – all of the above can cause malnutrition.
Malnutrition and its involuntary weight loss are common in the elderly. This can cause serious health problems. However, malnutrition in elderly is usually undiscovered. It is recommended that all elderly should have regular nutrition assessment. Malnutrition elderly is usually caused by aging, illness, different treatments, social environments etc. Elderly with malnutrition should find out the cause and be treated accordingly. Increase nutrition intake is necessary. To get the best result, treatment of elderly with malnutrition needs a team effort of health care professionals.1
Malnutrition usually happens in the following people:
- Elderly
- Patient, especially those with chronic disease
- Patient before and after the surgery