Elderly diets.
NURSES caring for the elderly and the infirm are to receive help
from a Euro 1 million research programme funded by the European
Commission that will focus on ways to improve their patients'
nutrition. The NUTRI-SENEX multi-national initiative marks the first
project of its kind to link experts in the care, dietary and teaching
professions in different EU countries "to produce recommendations,
survey health legislation and develop guidelines for functional and
nutritionally-balanced food for the elderly." One solution would be
to create special food for the elderly with increased flavour and
fortified with nutrients, said a project spokesman. The 32 partners in
NUTRI-SENEX include the department of health care of the elderly within
the School of Medicine of King's College London and the charity Age
Concern. The project noted old people's sense of taste and smell
gradually declined leading to loss of appetite, followed by "a
weakening of nutritional status and immunity, a loss of weight and
increased frailty." This was "especially a problem in care
homes," where appetites can be depressed by monotonous diets, with
no daily choices of menu. A Department of Health spokeswoman added the
link between diet and health was covered in the Public Health White
Paper. * http://www.nutri-senex.com/
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Author: | Osborn, Alan |
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Publication: | International News Services.com |
Date: | Apr 1, 2005 |
Words: | 205 |
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