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Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Hungry to be heard: the scandal of malnourished older people in hospital


From Age Concern (UK), this document reports on the growing problem of malnourishment among elderly hospital patients in the UK and recommends five steps to end malnutrition:

1. Hospital staff must listen to older people
2. All ward staff must become "food aware".
3. Hospital staff must follow their own professional codes and guidance.
4. Older people must be assessed for malnourishment.
5. Introduce "protected mealtimes"
5. Implement a "red tray" system and ensure it works in practice
7. Use volunteers when appropriate.
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/Documents/Hungry_to_be_Heard_August_2006.pdf

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