2016 Volume 26 Issue 4 Pages 181-188
The purpose of this study on the institutionalized elderly was to examine two relationships; one between the ability of communication and the Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and the other between the ability of communication and the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index.
This study was carried out as a retrospective study using medical records. The subjects included 90 disabled elderly patients (17 male, 73 female, mean age 87 ± 8 years).
The results from this study are summarized as follows:
1) As the ability of communication declined, body weight and BMI were reduced, and the level of care, the grade of bedriddenness, and grade of cognitive function also became heavier.
2) Three significant correlations were found between the ability of communication and paralysis, between the ability of communication and joint contracture, and between the ability of communication and excretion (urine and stool).
3) Compared with the communicate group, the non-communicate group showed significantly lower GNRI values.
These results suggest that the ability of communication is related to ADL and GNRI. In addition, it is possible that the ability of communication is an indicator of nutrition care management.
