介護福祉現場における高齢者の食事と支援

抄録

　Individualized diet support has become common at sites for nursing care and welfare of the elderly. This approach includes selectable menus, introduction of buffet-style meals, and treatment of patients with eating disorders and dysphagia using a dysphagia pyramid, with cooperation between dieticians, kitchen staff and care staff. The number of elderly people who will need nursing care is expected to increase, and in this context I would like to propose roles for specialists in nutrition and cooking at sites of nursing care for the elderly. First, these roles include guidance on nutrition and cooking for users of nursing care services at home and support for home care workers. Second, I propose involvement and cooperation in management of nutrition and cooking at small-scale facilities, such as group homes. In nutrition management at nursing homes for the elderly and other long-stay facilities, there is a need to prevent a rapid increase of weight after admission and to provide active dietary approaches to improve constipation. In addition, it is also necessary to develop a diet menu for maintenance and improvement of eating and swallowing. I will show how these roles in combination with experience at nursing care and welfare sites can promote discussion of nutrients and calories, and provide support for diet, a central aspect of daily life, from the standpoint of a nutrition expert.