Effects of a nutrition workshop on paraprofessional assignment of geriatric nutrition services

The use of dietary assessment techniques by non-nutrition professionals is necessary if the nutrition component of elderly assistance programs is to be fully utilized to the client's advantage. This study examined the impact of a one day nutrition education workshop on community based assessor's evaluation of nutrition needs and services in the home-bound elderly. At the beginning and end of the workshop, changes in a case study nutrition assessment and assignment of services were evaluated. This same procedure was also followed before and three months after the workshop, using client charts from the field. In both the workshop case study and the field chart review there was a significant increase in the detection of nutrition related problems and assignment of services for these problems after the nutrition education workshop.