Assessment of Elderly's Nutritional status in Geriatric Homes at Al-Furat Al-Awusat Governorates

Abstract

Objective: to assess the elderly's nutritional status through the dietary habits and anthropometric measures.

Methodology: A descriptive (cross-sectional) study is carried out from Nov 1^st,2014 to July 9^th-2015 to assess elderly's nutritional status at geriatric homes in Al-Furat Al-Awusat governorates through a simple random sample of (120) elderly people aged 65 and above who live in geriatric homes. Data were collected through the use of the questionnaire and interview method, and analyzed through the application of descriptive and inferential statistical data analysis.

Results: The study demonstrated that the majority of the sample at age group (76-80) years old (28.3%), more than half of the sample (58.3%) is males and the remaining is female. Relative subjects level of education, the greater number of them are within middle and high level of education and they accounted for (28.3%). the majority of them did not use dentures use (83.3%), majority of them are not smokers (70%), while (63.3%) of them were using medication. More than half of BMI and MUAC accounted for overweight (53.3%) and (55.8%) respectively.

Conclusions: majority of them have signs and symptoms including easy hair loss and bleaching nails. Most of the old residents do not customarily take vitamins and Minerals intake.

Recommendations: The study recommended the following: promotion of nutritional system to be implemented for old age residents and routine annual nutritional assessment and evaluation can be done to old age individuals in geriatric homes and a nutritional educational program can be used as a means for nutritional health awareness. Nutritional specialized nurses, nutritionists can make regular visits to provide supervision on the quality of the food introduced to elderly residents. A comparative study should be conducted between elderly geriatric home residents and community elderly nutritional status.