Empirical Basis for Nursing Home Meal Service

摘要

The researchers first analyzed the food consumption patterns of residents in two nursing home settings. The study revealed that, even though the diets served were adequate in nutrients, many individuals were not consuming as much as 80% of the recommended amounts of one or more nutrients--some as little as 50% of the RDA for a particular nutrient. These findings led to the development of menus in which nutritional adequacy is calculated on the basis of expected amounts consumed, rather than amounts served, and of a system or regularly evaluating the nutritional status of individual nursing home residents. An instruction manual containing a four-week cycle of menus for use in nursing homes and directions for sample forms for applying the nutrrition-monitoring system is available from NTIS under the title, Procedures Manual for Planning and Monitoring Nutrient Intake of Nursing Home Residents.