Nutrition

Changes in cooking, food preparation and eating habits may give rise to concern among relatives of people with dementia. Jill Manthorpe, Roger Watson and Anne Stimpson report on survey findings on this theme, and draw out messages for services

Key points from this report about malnutrition: • Malnutrition is a hidden issue in the community which needs to be urgently tackled • Families are under stress and struggling to care without the right advice and support • Malnutrition is largely preventable and treatable • Earlier intervention will help to improve the quality of life for individuals and reap substantial cost savings to health and social care.

Oral care of people with dementia is often undertaken by family carers as much as professional staff in formal care settings. Jill Manthorpe, Roger Watson and Anne Stimpson analyse carers’ experiences and the problems they have encountered.

In this DVD people with learning disabilities and their family carers tell their story of healthy eating. Their stories show how some people and families have overcome barriers to healthy eating. As well as healthy eating, the DVD also covers enjoying cooking and eating, having choice and control about what you eat, where you eat and who you eat with. It shows that healthy eating works best when everyone works together.

Over the last 30 years, the life expectancy of people with Down syndrome has increased dramatically. Significant medical advances have allowed affected persons to be seen more in the hospital setting, making it imperative that nurses understand their health care needs in order to provide positive health outcomes.