Nutritional status and food intake for clients in retirement home

This bachelor thesis called Nutritional status and food intake for clients in retirement home endeavours to map general nutritional status of the elderly. It is concentrated on the elderly living in retirement home without nutritionist in South Bohemian region. Evaluation of nutritional status was performed by standardized screening form, monitoring food intake, follow-up calculations and laboratory testing due to blood vitamin D content. The thesis is typically divided into two parts. Theoretical and practical. Theoretical part is patterned on definition of age and ageing. These two phenomena are analysed on demographic and prognostic aspect. It is focused on retirement home and legislation associated with presence nutritionist in retirement home by reason providing medical nutrition. It is analysed dietetic system and project called External Evaluation of Nutritional Care Quality in Rest Homes. This project is one way how to implement professional and guaranteed nutritional care. About this issue, the thesis is concentrate on evaluation of nutritional status by using various instruments and on physiological changes of organism in later life. And it does not forget to nutrition recommendation for the elderly. A foundation of practical part of thesis sets five research targets and two research question. Twenty clients of retirement home participate in research. It was seventeen women and three men. Basic assessment of nutritional status of the elderly was performed by form called "Mini Nutritional Assessment ", which reveals danger of commencement of malnutrition at four clients and direct danger of malnutrition at two clients. Calculations of offered food and real food intake were made by software called "Nutriservis Profesional". Offered food contains acceptable number of proteins in major part of researched diet (basic diet, diabetic diet and resting diet). It was 15 % proteins (85-90 grams) from the whole energetic food intake per day. The number of carbohydrates of all researched diet was almost 45 % (255 g) from the whole energetic food intake per day. Average fat intake of all researched diet was 40 % (100 g). All these values were not in Česká asociace sester, Sekce nutričních terapeutů ´s opinion about right medical nutrition. Most clients did take in all offered food. But their needs were satisfied, because they eat more than their optimal energetic intake. Not surprisingly, a blood vitamin D content was low at almost all of clients. Average vitamin D intake from food was 4,4 micrograms. Average numbers in blood was about 11,43 micrograms/l. It is not possible to cover recommended daily allowance of vitamin D by food. Because of minimal movement of clients on sunlight it is impossible achieve required figure without vitamin D supplementation. Nutritionist presence would help to implement functional diet system in the retirement home. This system guarantees harmless offered food and helps search for malnutrition clients. And it can turn away, moderate or does not develop danger of malnutrition