Nutrition and the geriatric rehabilitation patient - Challenges and solutions

The nutritional status of the geriatric rehabilitation patient can affect progress toward rehabilitation goals. The importance of the referral to the registered dietitian to improve nutritional status is described. Factors affecting the appetite in the geriatric patient are discussed. The anorexia of aging is reviewed. Early signs of protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) include apathy, low energy, and decline in muscle strength before overt PCM occurs. The role of nutrition in health is discussed. The components of Medical Nutrition Therapy to treat poor nutritional status are reviewed.