Half of all patients in hospitals and healthcare facilities are malnourished, leading to unnecessary suffering, poorer quality of life, and increased mortality. Despite available solutions, malnutrition is underdiagnosed and undertreated globally. A review in the New England Journal of Medicine highlights this issue and calls for greater use of existing knowledge to address it.
The authors emphasize that simple methods can significantly improve patients’ well-being. In Sweden, 5-10% of older adults are malnourished, with the rate rising to 50% in healthcare settings. Traditionally seen as a natural part of aging or disease, malnutrition is now understood to result from underlying conditions that reduce food intake, leading to muscle atrophy and increased vulnerability to infections.
Global consensus on diagnosing malnutrition includes criteria like weight loss, low body mass index, and reduced muscle mass.
Other factors that contribute are medication side effects, mental health issues, physical limitations, social isolation, poor nutritional knowledge.
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Nexus Home Healthcare developed a proactive clinical approach proven to:
Reduce hospitalizations
Improve senior health and quality of life
Reduce medical costs to families and insurance
Contact us to inquire about our results and/or how our approach helps meet the needs of your patients and families.
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