Nutritional intake and daily functioning of psychogeriatric nursing home residents

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

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

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).

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.

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.