Nutritional Status and Quality of Life in Older Adults

The aim of this study is to determine the nutritional status, and factors affecting malnutrition in older people staying in hospitals. Objectives: * To recruit a sample of older people in hospital * To collect information on nutritional status, satisfaction with food-related life and experience with access to food in hospital. * To assess the staffing attitudes to nutritional care of the older adult * To undertake an audit of therapeutic ('special') diets served in hospitals, with respect to their nutritional adequacy and wastage * To investigate predictors and correlates of malnutrition within the hospital setting and compare these relationships with those previously identified in care homes and the community. * To make recommendations for practice to improve the nutritional status of hospitalised older adults.