NEWS ARTICLEMalnutrition Afflicts 1 In 4 Elderly PatientsBy Mike Snider USA TODAY One in 4 elderly patients is malnourished, says a survey of health-care providers who treat patients 65 and older. The patients aren't getting proper nutrients because of deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in their diets, says the report by the Nutrition Screening Initiative, a project of health care associations. That weakens the ability to fight off sickness and recover from surgery and illness, say most of the 750 physicians, nurses and administrators answering the survey. The Nutrition Screenings Initiative releases findings today in Washington D.C., including: - About half the elderly patients in hospitals and 2 of every 5 in a nursing home suffer from malnutrition.
- Malnourished patients are more likely to have major complications and more expensive hospitalizations than healthy older patients are.
- Nutritional assessments for those of all ages should be included in the health benefits package that the White House Take Force on Health Care Reform is now formulating, says U.S. Rep. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.
The findings suggest that many elderly Americans have become "a walking bull's-eye for diseases (like heart disease, diabetes, cancer) that target the malnourished," he says. EDITORS NOTE: It has been known for some time that our elderly are starving to death in one of the wealthiest nations in the world. I do not think that it it is form neglect, but from the bodies inability to breakdown and absorb nutrition from the food supply.
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