Regardless of your patient’s age, knowing the role of nutrition and hydration is important. But for older people, especially those with cognitive decline, it’s vital.
Daily management of nutrition and hydration is a clinical priority to keep older people comfortable and pain-free. Adequate nutrition and hydration can reduce other issues, such as agitation and urinary tract infections.
There are other benefits too. Taking the time to understand the fundamental elements of an individual’s oral intake, including their likes and dislikes, is a real chance to build trusting therapeutic relationships that will help you get things right for that person.
Clinical
Nutrition: getting it right for older people鈥�
Nursing associate Georgia explains how small changes to an older person鈥檚 diet can make a big difference, and how the best plate of food might not be the one that鈥檚 expected鈥�