1994 Volume 52 Issue 6 Pages 307-318
The study aims at investigating use of “kizami” (minced foods) diets in special nursing homes for the elderly. Questionnaire sheets were mailed to all of 157 nursing homes in Tokyo, and 132 responses were recovered (recovery ratio: 84.1%). Following result was obtained.
1) “Kizami” diets were served in as many as 43% of the institutions, and 7% of them served pureed foods.
2) Choice between normal and “kizami” diets was largely influenced by the opinion of the nursing staff while that between normal and pureed diets was influenced predominantly by the medical staff.
3) Dietitians decide to switch to “kizami” diets when the chewing or swallowing ability as well as health conditions and appetite of the elderly deteriorated.
4) “Kizami” diets are considered “time consuming in preparation”, “limited in choice of food materials and recipes”, “not appealing in appearance”, “inferior in taste”, “inferior in texture”, and “difficult to accommodate to individual taste”. To overcome these drawbacks, dietitians “prerare a cooking manual”, and “serve foods in a more attractive manner”.
5) Food materials are minced mainly with knives into sizes usually between 3mm and 2cm or larger, but some were minced to less than 3mm. Ten to 30% of “kizami” diets were served as tuna sashimi or sushi, favorites of the elderly, retaining substantially the original form.
