Nutrition in Older Adults

Nutrition risk develops when intake no longer meets the body’s needs for energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, or fluid. Older adults may eat less because of reduced appetite, fatigue, pain, oral problems, swallowing difficulty, cognitive impairment, depression, social isolation, illness, or medication effects. Several small barriers can combine until a patient is consistently unable to finish meals. Lower energy requirements with age do not make food quality less important. A smaller total intake still needs to provide nutrient-dense foods, adequate protein, calcium-rich choices, and fluid. When intake falls, weakness and loss of function can make shopping, meal preparation, and self-feeding more difficult, creating a self-reinforcing cycle. The experienced nurse often notices the pattern before the diagnosis is documented: food remains on the tray, the patient needs more help to eat, clothing fits differently, or the patient is too tired to complete basic activities. Body size alone is unreliable. A larger-bodied patient can be malnourished, and a thin patient is not automatically malnourished. Intake history, weight trend, function, hydration, and a validated screening result provide a safer picture. Malnutrition and dehydration are...