Nutritional intake and daily functioning of psychogeriatric nursing home residents

Abstract

Background: The level of observed daily functioning in psychogeriatric nursing home patients may be related to nutrient intake and body weight.

Objective: Relationships between nutrient intake, weight and daily functioning were assessed in nursing home residents.

Design: A descriptive, correlational design added by a experimental (repeated measurements) model was used to compare 3-day food records of 90 elderly psycho-geriatric residents filled in by the caretakers every 8 weeks during a period of 6 months. Nutrient intakes and cognitive scores were averaged over the total investigation period and studied separately at week 0, 8, 16 and 24. High and a low nutrient intake groups were compared with respect to daily functioning, which was measured by a Dutch geriatric nursing scale, the Zorg Index geriatrie (ZIG).

Results: Body weight was higher in the high niacin, high vitamin B-6 and high vitamin C intake groups. Unexpectedly, higher vitamin intakes were associated with a worse daily functioning. Results are explained by the fact that patients with a lower cognitive level are more dependent on their caregivers, thereby receiving more help with eating. Consequently, more severely demented patients have a higher intake of energy and nutrients.

Conclusion: In order to optimize the effect of dietary vitamin supplementation in the total severity range of psycho-geriatric residents, caregivers should also pay attention to the eating habits of less dependent patients.