Geriatrics is the method that professional health care workers undertake to care for old people with the aim of improving their quality of life. Most studies focuses on weight gain as a means of measuring the nutritional status of the aged.
It is estimated that the elderly male individuals have higher energy expenditure than the female, though the percentage is negligible. However, the exact requirement of energy by the elderly is unknown because due to difficulties in measuring the energy intake of this individuals.
The difficulty arises due to poor medical records, and the presence of numerous diseases among the elderly such as chronic illnesses, and heterogeneity of physical activity (Wayne et al, 1987).
2. Measurement
The most reliable procedure of measuring an elderly energy requirement is through indirect calorimetric. The use of a Basal Metabolic Rate is an example of indirect calorimetry, and it involves the use of a ventilated hood, which functions as a delivery agent of a measured sample of gas to the subject (Wayne et al, 1987). This sample is reflected at the main machine, which measures the level of carbon dioxide and oxygen on the expired sample, calculating its energy expenditure and respiratory quotient.
B) Protein requirements
Lack of protein among the elderly can cause an imbalance with the energy level in an elderly body. This imbalance results to the loss of body tissues, leading to fragility, dependency and the growth of morbidities (Shapiro and Roos, 1985).
C) Carbohydrate requirements:
The elderly need fewer calories in their body mechanisms due to the presence of lean muscles, and high concentration of body fats. The elderly need to reduce the percentage of fats in their body, because it prevents chronic diseases. Carbohydrates consist of 60% of calories in a diet, and they contribute in the circulation of blood glucose in the body mechanism of an elderly person (Moscovice et al, 1988).
Fat Requirements:
There must be a regulation of fat intake among the elderly. The nurses must keep the consumption of fat at an optimum level, and they can do this by allowing the elderly to consume low fat dairy products. They should avoid friend foods, and consume lots of lean meat.
Water Requirements:
Water is an essential element that the old need to take for purposes of ensuring absorption and digestion of food (Shapiro and Roos, 1985). It reduces kidney malfunctions, and reduces constipation. It ensures that an elderly is hydrated, and therefore it is recommended that the person ought to drink at least 5 glasses of water per day.
Vitamin and Mineral Requirements
The various illnesses suffered by older, and the medications they acquire make them to be vitamin deficient. The main risk in terms of vitamin nutrients to the elderly is lack of a fat soluble vitamin, and it is therefore important for the elderly to take food rich in vitamin D. They also need calcium and iron, and to acquire them, they need to eat cereals, low fat dairy products and fruits rich in vitamin c (Sanders and Seelbach, 1981). Zinc and Vitamin K are essential nutrients required in healing an elders wound, and vitamin E, avoids Alzheimer diseases.
New Trends in providing nutritional therapy:
The latest trend in nutritional therapy involves the back to the basic nutritional approach. This approach involves consuming whole foods, at the expense of processed foods. The therapy focuses on approaches that would make an individual stronger in spirit, body and mind. Basing on this, food is seen as medicines that heal, prevent an attack of diseases, and anti-aging. This is known as modern dietary therapy, and it involves enacting standard and special diets for use in adverse clinical conditions among the elderly (Ulker, 2008).
Consultation (how to implement nutritional intervention)
A)Initial
The first step is to collect information and synthesize it in relation to the nutrient condition of the aged person. This step involves identifying key areas of health conditions of the aged for purposes of coming up with a consensus on the focus of the therapy, i.e. either prevention or recuperation (Moscovice et al, 1988).
The next step involves gathering quantitative data, for purposes of identifying appropriate nutritional intervention, and finally, gathering qualitative data to facilitate the nutritional therapy since it will outline the feeding culture of the aged person, beliefs and indigenous practices.
B)Follow up
Institutions must put in place mechanisms of monitoring the dietary intake of the aged. This is through hiring of more nurses, and placing the aged on areas where it is easy to observe them.
Insurance coverage
A) Medicare
Medicare is a universal insurance policy in America targeting the aged, and it enables to obtain medical treatment and care when they fall sick. The system pays for the patient’s medical bills, and protection from financial downfall in case the disease is severe, and the treatment expensive. However, the difference between the medical costs involved and the insurance benefit is big, making the policy inefficient (Ulker, 2008).
B) Medicaid
Medicaid compliments the services offered by Medicare. The policy assists Medicare policy holders into paying their premiums, and cost sharing in relation to provision of drugs, and long term care.
C) Other insurance Policies
I. Life Insurance Cover
The elderly can access life insurance cover, and the premiums they pay is high because of their vulnerability to death. The term life insurance cover is a cheaper insurance policy for the aged, and cash value is not attached to its issue. Guaranteed life cover is a short term insurance policy that guarantees limited benefits, in case of death (Ulker, 2008).
Other Means of Nutritional Assessments:
Athropometric Assessment
This involves a variety of scientific techniques in measuring the composition of an elderly patient body. A therapist can use bioelectric impedance analysis and dual energy x ray technologies in making this analysis .
Functional Assessment
This method is used to measure the quality of life of an elderly patient, and it predicts the quality and pattern of an individual’s life.
