Experts are concerned that elderly people are not necessarily getting the right standard of nutrition in care homes.
A spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association (BDA) said that, although some care homes are good, the standards of care of the elderly vary across the UK.
"If the manager of the care home believes that nutrition is an important part of the care of an elderly person, the chances are they're actually going to keep most of their residents pretty well nourished," said nutritionist Alison Smith.
"If the person in charge doesn't think that nutrition is particularly important, then you'll find that you've got more nutritional problems, and [that] nutritional problems aren't really picked up on or acted on," she explained.
Ms Smith said that the Department of Health needs to make changes, citing figures which suggest over 44 per cent of patients who are resident in care homes in the UK are at risk of malnutrition.
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A spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association (BDA) said that, although some care homes are good, the standards of care of the elderly vary across the UK.
"If the manager of the care home believes that nutrition is an important part of the care of an elderly person, the chances are they're actually going to keep most of their residents pretty well nourished," said nutritionist Alison Smith.
"If the person in charge doesn't think that nutrition is particularly important, then you'll find that you've got more nutritional problems, and [that] nutritional problems aren't really picked up on or acted on," she explained.
Ms Smith said that the Department of Health needs to make changes, citing figures which suggest over 44 per cent of patients who are resident in care homes in the UK are at risk of malnutrition.
© Adfero Ltd
Care of the elderly news : 06/07/2007
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