Systematic review of the evidence for a liberalized diet in the management of diabetes mellitus in older adults residing in aged care facilities

Canadian Hospital Food Service Practices to Prevent Malnutrition

Purpose: The study aimed to determine current practice, barriers, and enablers of foodservices in Canadian hospitals relative to guiding principles for best practice to prevent malnutrition.Methods: Foodservice managers completed a 55-item cross-sectional, online survey (closed- and open-ended questions).Results: Survey responses (n = 286) were from diverse hospitals in all Canadian regions; 56% acute care; 13% had foodservices contracted out; and 60% had a reporting structure combined with clinical nutrition. Predominantly, foodservice systems were 43% in-house versus 41% pre-prepared, 46% cook-serve food production, 64% meals assembled centrally (on-site), and 40% non-selective menus with limited opportunities for patient choice in advance or at meals. The "regular menu" (44%) was most commonly served as 3 meals, no snacks at specific times. Energy and protein-dense menus were available, but not widespread (9%). Daily energy targets ranged from 1200 to 2400 kcal and 32% of respondents viewed protein targets as important. The number of therapeutic diets varied from 2 to 150.Conclusions: Although hospital foodservice practices vary across Canada, the survey results demonstrate gaps in national evidence-based practices and an opportunity to formalize guiding principles. This work highlights the need for standards to improve practice through patient-centered, foodservice practices focused on addressing malnutrition.

Are Therapeutic Diets in Long-Term Care Affecting Resident Food Intake and Meeting their Nutritional Goals?

Purpose: To examine health characteristics of long-term care (LTC) residents prescribed therapeutic diets (promoting or restricting intake of key food components), to determine how these diets influenced intake and whether there were differences in food intake and malnutrition risk between residents with and without restrictive diets.Methods: Secondary analysis of the Making the Most of Mealtimes Study includes 435 residents with no/mild cognitive impairment in 32 LTC homes across 4 provinces. Health records were reviewed for diet prescriptions and other characteristics. Weighed and observed food and fluid consumption over 3 nonconsecutive days determined intake. Bivariate and multivariable linear regressions identified associations between therapeutic diets and intake and key nutrients.Results: Almost half (42%) of participants were prescribed a therapeutic diet. Residents receiving restrictive diets (28%) consumed absolute calories consistent with those receiving a regular diet, but kcal/kg was significantly lower (22.1 ± 5.5 vs 23.6 ± 5.3). Low sodium and weight-promoting diets were the only therapeutic diets associated with their corresponding key nutrient profiles. Restrictive therapeutic diets were not associated with energy or protein intake when adjusting for covariates.Conclusions: Restrictive therapeutic diets among those with mild to no cognitive deficits do not appear to impair food intake.

Failing to meet the needs of generations of care home residents with diabetes: a review of the literature and a call for action

In residential care homes and aged-care facilities globally, between one in three and one in four residents may have diabetes, an often complex highly co-morbid illness that leads to frailty, dependency, disability and reduced life expectancy. Residents with diabetes also have a high risk of hypoglycaemia, avoidable hospital admissions, and represent one of the most difficult challenges to health professionals and care staff in optimizing their diabetes and medical care. This detailed review examines the literature relating to care home diabetes over the last 25 years to assess what has been achieved in characterizing residents with diabetes, and what we know about the various but limited intervention studies that have been carried out internationally. The guidance and guidelines that have been published to assist clinicians in planning effective and safe care for this rather vulnerable group of people with diabetes are also reviewed. The review presents the first diagrammatic representation of a likely physiological cascade depicting the mainly irreversible functional decline a resident with diabetes might experience, provides modern principles of care for each resident with diabetes, and identifies what priority recommendations are required to be implemented if diabetes care is to improve. The review concludes that action is required since diabetes care still remains fragmented, sub-optimal, and in need of investment, otherwise care home residents with diabetes will continue to have their needs unfulfilled.

Characteristics of older adults with diabetes: What does the current aged care resident look like?

AIM

The prevalence of diabetes in older adults in residential aged care (RAC) is twice that of community dwelling older adults. Older adults with diabetes have been highlighted as being at high risk of frailty and malnutrition, particularly when managed on a therapeutic diet. However, assumptions may be based on clinical presentation of our oldest old which may be at conflict with the clinical presentation of younger older adults. The aim of this retrospective audit was to identify the characteristics of aged care residents with diabetes, their comorbidities and malnutrition risk.

METHODS

Residents' with diabetes paper-based records were audited for demographic data, diet code, medical and medication history, malnutrition risk screening scores and anthropometric data.

RESULTS

A total of 295 residents with diabetes records were audited across 13 sites in South Australia. Younger older adults (65-74 years) were generally in a healthy weight range (23-30 kg/m² ) or obese (>30 kg/m² ) and had gained weight since admission to RAC; whereas the oldest old were more likely to have lost weight and had a lower body mass index range 22.6-28.9 kg/m² . An unexpected finding was the variability between RAC sites in dietary management of diabetes and potential inappropriate dietary management of malnutrition, as indicated by their food service diet codes.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that younger older adults in RAC are more likely to be overweight which is maintained over a typical length of stay. Study findings indicate that diabetes management is inconsistent and highlights the need for mandated RAC menu guidelines.