A patient-centred approach to improving nutritional management in routine practice and combating undernutrition in hospitalised older adults

Hospitalized older adults have high protein requirements and are at high risk of malnutrition. To improve the nutrition management process in accordance with the ESPEN guidelines, new strategies based on a patient-centred approach have to be implemented at hospital. In a community hospital, a new enrichment method was developed, based on the addition of a new fortified high-protein high-energy paste directly to hospital-recipes meals. In addition, the healthcare team co-decides the patient’s nutritional intervention by combining patient’s energy and protein requirements with their eating habits, food preferences, and appetite to propose the most appropriate solution. The whole nutrition management process, which combines a new method of food enrichment, a patient-centred approach, with computerized follow-up of energy and protein intakes throughout the hospital stay, is helping to refocus attention on patient malnutrition and, redefine the roles of healthcare professionals.