AUSTRALIA | Malnutrition among Australian seniors is rife among aged care providers, according to university research and data.
The largest aged care nutritional study in Australian history has indicated that 40 percent of people living in residential aged care are malnourished. A further six percent are severely malnourished.
The study's authors, from Monash and Griffith Universities, warn that insufficient processes have meant that many residents are not recognised as being malnourished and remain untreated.
It is estimated that the number of people 60 years and older will double and that those 80 years or older will triple by the year 2050.
The Australian Government has estimated the cost of the malnutrition crisis in residential aged care facilities to be approximately AUD $9 billion a year. A 2021 report by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety outlined that there had been a failure to meet the nutritional needs of people by operators of the residential aged care sector for whom they care.
The Commission specifically identified improving nutrition as a priority area for immediate attention.
The study spanned 10 facilities across New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland, and involved over 700 residents. The median age of residents who partook was 84, whilst 63 percent were female. According to lead author of the study, Dr Jonathan Foo, from Monash University’s Department of Physiotherapy, good nutrition plays a crucial role in healthy ageing.
“Malnutrition is associated with poorer overall health, increased hospitalisation rates, higher rates of falls and fractures, slower wound healing, higher infection risk, and accelerated mortality,” said Dr Foo.
“Despite such risks, aged care providers are not suitably resourced to perform routine screening using validated tools, meaning many malnourished residents are likely to be undetected and therefore untreated.”
Dr Marie-Claire O’Shea from Griffith University’s School of Health Sciences and Social Work said older Australians deserve better nutritional care, and the time is now when malnutrition is a national problem.
“The rates of malnutrition can vary from home to home with some statistics reporting up to 78 per cent, however, our study, which was significant in number, reported a rate of around 40 per cent,” Dr O’Shea said.
“Early malnutrition identification is just the first step, as improvements in food quantity and food quality are also required. We are working with aged care providers and residents to enhance the dining experience, and we believe this is the key missing piece of the malnutrition puzzle.”
Australia’s aged care sector is responsible for more than 190,000 individuals, and for more than two decades, has encountered significant scrutiny in regard to its handling of the malnutrition crisis.
The study also recommended regular screening, as it has become crucial to identify those who need a full malnutrition assessment and intervention.
“Our research group is currently working on implementing automated malnutrition screening and food-first malnutrition support pathways with our forward-thinking aged care partners,” Dr Foo said.
“The sector is already overwhelmed by all the requirements of providing care to ageing Australians, we need to focus on approaches that overcome challenges rather than burdening providers.”
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