01 September 2006
Vulnerable elderly hospital patients are going without food because the vast majority of nurses are too busy to help them feed themselves, according to new research from a leading charity.
A study from Age Concern revealed that six out of ten older patients are at risk of becoming malnourished during their stay in hospital. Older people make up two-thirds of hospital patients, but malnutrition rates were found to be five times higher among patients over 80 than those under 50.
Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern, said the findings were shocking. 'Hospitals are in danger of becoming bad for the health of older people,' he said.
The costs of malnutrition are estimated to exceed £7.3bn. Poorly nourished patients are expected to stay in hospital for longer and are three times more likely to develop complications during surgery.
Age Concern is urging hospitals to introduce protected meal times, assess older patients for signs of malnutrition and identify patients who need help with eating.
The Department of Health said a summit on how best to care for older people was planned for the autumn.
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