Home enteral tube feeding in older people: consideration of the issues

The demand for acute medical services for older people has risen in recent years and increasing numbers of older people are having enteral feeding tubes placed to ensure they receive appropriate levels of nutrition and fluid safely once oral diet becomes unsafe or insufficient. However, their care may be complicated by cognitive or functional deterioration as a result of comorbidities and polypharmacy. Consequently, providing enteral tube feeding in the community, once the patient is discharged from hospital, may not be straightforward. There are a number of benefits to providing enteral feeding at home; however, problems will arise if appropriate training and aftercare are not provided. This article will address some of the issues that arise when patients who require home enteral feeding are discharged from hospital into their own homes, or into a care home, and examines the knowledge that is required to enable the patient and/or carer to safely manage the feeding tube and feeding regimen, and addresses some of the more common problems that may arise.