Nutrition Support in Older Adults

Abstract

Malnutrition is observed in around one in three hospital inpatients; this harmful ICD10-AM-coded disease is a strong independent predictor of adverse older adult and healthcare outcomes, mortality, and treatment costs globally, particularly in multimorbid, older adults. Despite recognition of malnutrition as a disease, nutrition support prescriptions are often not valued as the medicine to treat it. This chapter is devoted to the common nutrition support prescriptions for treating malnutrition: (1) protein- and energy-dense and/or fortified foods, fluids, and menus (HPHE support); (2) oral nutrition supplements; (3) enteral tube feeding; and (4) parenteral nutrition.