Prevention and treatment of malnutrition in elderly dependant people's home

In order to identify best practices for undernutrition prevention and management in the 597 institutions for the dependent elderly in Pays de la Loire, two questionnaires were sent in early 2009. Three-quarters had a nutritional axis in their care project, 25% worked with a Diet and Nutrition Liaison Committee (CLAN), and 67% with dieticians; 70% had less than 25% of their staff recently trained to food-nutrition for the elderly. Two thirds were conducting detection of malnutrition at admission and during follow-up. There was enough time for meals in 60% cases, and 48% had all their residents who underwent a long overnight fast. Among beneficial environmental factors identified, the nutritional axis in the care project seemed to be a major determinant of food-nutrition practices. In conclusion, these results show the real structures involvement in this field in the region, but some practices must be further improved. Nutritional policies seem to be a major way to achieve. (C) 2011 Societe francaise de nutrition. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.