Evaluation of strategies to improve nutrition in people with dementia in an assessment unit

Objectives: To evaluate strategies designed to improve nutrition in elderly hospitalised patients with dementia. Design: Observation phase followed by sequential interventions. Setting: A Short stay assessment unit. Participants: Hospital Inpatients with a variety of conditions causing dementia. Interventions: Phase 1: Observation. Phase 2: Encouraging dietary, 'Grazing'. Phase 3: Using volunteers to feed patients. Phase 4: Improving dining room ambience by playing soothing music. Measurements: Body Mass Index (BMI), mid arm circumference, mini nutrition index and caloric intake by plate waste measurement. Results: BMI fell in the Observation phase 0.6+0.68 kg/m2 (p<0.001), but increased in each of the Intervention phases. Phase2 0.3+0.86 kg/m2 (p<0.04), Phase 3 0.37+0.4 kg/m2 (p<0.04), Phase'4 0.39+0.7 kg/m2 (p<0.007). Caloric intake increased in the intervention phases. Conclusions: Simple, inexpensive and easy to implement strategies can improve nutrition in hospital inpatients with dementia.