Examining the nutritional status of independently living elderly

As more and more people age, the idea of quality, not just quantity, of life becomes increasingly important. Healthcare professionals and community planners need to look at programs aimed at keeping the elderly as healthy as possible for as long as possible. To accomplish this, having a profile of the needs of this population in all possible settings is important. The purpose of this study was to examine wellness behaviors and nutrition in a group of independently living elderly. Wellness behaviors and health practices were generally positive in this study. However, the author identified several areas of deficiencies including performing breast and testicular self-examinations, staying asleep, medication use, exercising and weight maintenance, and eating (dietary patterns). Healthcare professionals need to take nutrition seriously. Although poor nutrition is a risk factor for pressure ulcers, delays wound healing, and increases mortality when someone is ill, effects of poor nutrition are often overlooked when the person is healthy and active. Results of this study show that health professionals need to include nutritional assessment as an important component of any examination in community, acute care, and long-term care settings.