Oral liquid nutritional supplements for people with dementia in residential aged care facilities: a systematic review

This systematic review investigated the prescription, administration and effectiveness of oral liquid nutritional supplements (OLNS) for people with dementia in residential aged care facilities (RACF). Dementia is an umbrella term for a large group of conditions that cause a progressive decline in a person's functioning. There are different forms of dementia and each has its own causes. Residents with Alzheimer's disease and dementia are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition and weight loss because of increased energy demands due to pacing or wandering; food refusal due to lack of appetite, agitation or memory loss; or physical deterioration leading to inability to self-feed, chew or swallow, though these symptoms are not unique to persons with dementia. Maintaining adequate nutrition for persons with dementia in residential care, in the context of these special needs, presents an increased challenge.A comprehensive search of relevant databases, hand searching and cross-referencing found 15 relevant articles from a total of 2910 possible results.Included studies examined a range of strategies, issues and results related to OLNS for persons with dementia in RACFs; however there appear to be significant gaps in the current body of research, particularly in relation to examinations of effectiveness. Thus, this review was unable to produce a definitive finding regarding effectiveness.

CONCLUSION: From this systematic review it is clear that further research is required into the prescription, administration and effectiveness of OLNS. No definitive evidence of effectiveness for OLNS was found. However, our findings suggest that if administered with care and assistance and prescribed after investigation of the reasons for weight loss and/or poor oral intake, OLNS may play a role in maintaining protein and energy intake. Consequently, it can be inferred that OLNS may contribute to the promotion of healthy and optimal functioning in persons with dementia who are living in residential aged care.