Can trained volunteers improve the mealtime care of older hospital patients? An implementation study in one English hospital.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Multinational studies report undernutrition among 39% older inpatients; importantly, malnutrition risk may further increase while in hospital. Contributory factors include insufficient mealtime assistance from time-pressured hospital staff. A pilot study showed trained volunteers could safely improve mealtime care. This study evaluates the wider implementation of a mealtime assistance programme.

Design

Mixed methods prospective quasi-experimental study.

Setting

Nine wards across Medicine for Older People (MOP), Acute Medical Unit, Orthopaedics and Adult Medicine departments in one English hospital.

Participants

Patients, volunteers, ward staff.

Intervention

Volunteers trained to help patients aged ≥70 years at weekday lunchtime and evening meal

SUBMITTER: Howson FFA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6078263 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature