NZ’s elderly going hungry, study says

Too many elderly people in New Zealand are going hungry, sparking calls for mandatory screening for malnutrition risk, a new study says.

Massey University Associate Professor Carol Wham said her research highlighted the need for mandatory screening for malnutrition risk in all settings where elderly people lived.

‘‘It’s something we can actually address, with good nutrition and early intervention and referral to a dietician … We just don’t want nutrition impairment to be a cause of ill health effects later on.’’

The study involved 167 people, aged 65 to 103. It found 23 per cent were malnourished and 35 per cent were at high risk of malnutrition.

The prevalence of malnourishment was greatest in those recently admitted to residential care (47 per cent), with many having lost their independence before getting help.

‘‘In that group too, about a third had risk of dysphagia – or swallowing impairments.’’

About 23 per cent of the participants who were in hospital, and 2 per cent living in the community, were also found to be malnourished.

Wham said she hoped the research would be used across the country’s health sector.

‘‘There is a real shortage of good evidence to indicate that we do have a high prevalence of malnutrition in some settings. This study just looks at early admission to hospital and early admission to residential care, so it doesn’t reflect what is going on in and happening in the residential care setting.’’

Age Concern Canterbury chief executive Simon Templeton said he was not surprised by the study’s results, with food advertising doing harm than good for those at risk of malnutrition.

‘‘The media bombardment of eating healthy, going low fat and dieting is not doing older people any favours. This type of eating is not suitable for many older people. Poor nutrition and dehydration can be a cause of falls, vehicle accidents and hospitalisation,’’ he said.

Chris Blakeley, a clinical nurse manager at a Christchurch rest home, said she frequently saw elderly people moving into rest home care underweight and malnourished.

‘‘Often when people come to us, they’ve been managing or not managing in their own home. Often, what has brought them to rest home care is around their nutrition and their safety – when it comes to cooking meals and malnutrition and having weight loss.’’

In Christchurch, many elderly people lived alone and did not have support to get to a supermarket.

‘‘They also start to lose the motivation and capacity to be cooking themselves a meal or something a bit more substantial than toast ... and people with a degree of short term memory loss forget whether they’ve cooked and eaten or not,’’ Blakeley said.

‘‘Once they get into a rest home where they have regular meals, they don’t have to worry about getting the meal and having it served.’’

Nurse Maude Hospice palliative care support worker Sally Pitama said malnutrition was a big concern. It could be the result of financial pressures, mental health issues or elder abuse and bullying by family members.

‘‘It’s a mixture of all these issues and it’s very upsetting.’’

Dementia Canterbury general manager Darral Campbell said the organisation encouraged a healthy diet, preferably Mediterranean, and worked with people with dementia and their care partners to ensure they were eating properly.

'Poor nutrition and dehydration can be a cause of falls, vehicle accidents and hospitalisation."