Establishment of a nutritional support system at welfare facilities for the elderly: Innovation of new food texture

The joy of eating is one that people wish to enjoy throughout their lives, and the loss of the ability to orally ingest food reduces QOL. Therefore, nutritional management for facility residents must aim to ensure an appropriate energy intake for each individual. The measures we implemented after conducting a survey on food texture at welfare facilities for the elderly in Okayama city in September 2007 produced favorable results. In the present study, we report the positive results obtained from a follow- up survey conducted half a year later in April 2008. Subjects were residents at welfare facilities for the elderly, specifically healthcare and welfare facilities for elderly requiring long-term care. Individuals receiving tube feeding were excluded. Survey items included confirmation of consistency using a food texture checklist, care requirement level, level of independence in activities of daily living for disabled or elderly individuals, walking ability, oral function, presence or absence of dentures, dentition, and BMI. Survey results confirmed that care requirement level was correlated with the degree of bedridden state, walking ability, and oral function, and that it also influenced food texture. In particular, the selection of food texture was influenced by factors such as oral function, presence or absence of dentures, and dentition. Moreover, introduction of soft food which solidified paste food with some coagulants enabled almost all subjects to maintain or increase their BMI over the six-month period. These findings indicate that registered dietitians must monitor not only food consumption, but also care requirement level, degree of bedridden state, walking ability, presence or absence of dentures, and dentition. The present support system enabled the provision of safe and satisfying meals to facility residents and was thought to have contributed greatly to care for maintaining the dignity of elderly individuals from the perspective of nutritional management.