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Care of the older person
Systematic review with meta-analysis
Mealtime assistance may increase the energy and protein intake of hospitalised older patients
  1. Helen C Roberts,
  2. Fiona FA Rossiter
  1. Academic Geriatric Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
  1. Correspondence to : Dr Helen Roberts, Academic Geriatric Medicine, University of Southampton, Mailpoint 807, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Shirley, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; H.C.Roberts{at}soton.ac.uk

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebnurs-2015-102291

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    Commentary on: Tassone EC, Tovey JA, Paciepnik JE, et al. Should we implement mealtime assistance in the hospital setting? A systematic literature review with meta-analyses. J Clin Nurs 2015;24:2710–21.OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed

    Implications for practice and research

    • This study demonstrates an increase in energy and protein intake among older in-patients with mealtime assistance.

    • Further well-conducted studies are needed to establish the cost-effectiveness of mealtime assistance.

    • Volunteers spent more time with patients at mealtimes than nurses, were positively perceived, and could be trained and employed more widely.

    Context

    Malnutrition is common among older patients in hospital in many countries and associated with poor healthcare outcomes and increased costs. Factors such as acute illness are recognised but a lack of mealtime support is important and time-pressured nurses often struggle to provide sufficient help. Mealtime assistants can place food near to patients, open packets and cut up food, as well as help transfer …

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    Footnotes

    • Funding HR and FR receive support from the University of Southampton and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) Wessex. HR receives support from the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research or the Department of Health.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.