Determining the malnutrition levels, nutrition situations and life qualities of the elderly living in the zubeyde hanim nursing home

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the malnutrition levels, nutritional status and quality of life of the elderly living in the nursing home. The study had been made between 2019 December and 2020 January with everyone living there, namely 138 individuals living in the Zubeyde Hanım Nursing Home. Socio-demographical characteristic features, general habits and the health cases of the old was taken by the investigator with a questionnaire by seeing them face to face, and saving their antropometrical measurements. A Mini Malnutrition Asessment scale (MNA) was used to determine the malnutrition levels of the old and SF-36 General Health Questionnaire (SF-36) was used to determine their life qualities. A daily food record and a Healthy Eating Index (HEI) were used in order to assess the diet quality of the old. Food consumption of elderly people was obtained by writing the names of the individuals on the tables in the cafeteria and taking photographs of the leftovers on the plate at the end of the meal and recording them. The amount of main meal consumptian of individuals who do not consume food in the cafeteria that day was found by questioning the amount of snacks consumed by the individuals. Anthropometric measurements (body weight, height, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist / hip ratio, waist / height ratio, upper middle arm circumference, calf circumference, hand grip strength) of individuals are examined. The average of age of the participent surveyed is 74.59±7.6, and %31.16 of them are female and %68.84 are male individuals. Of all the elderly individuals, %8.0 are malnutritioned, %26.1 are under the risk of malnutrition, and %65.9 are malnutrition risk free. When we study the correlation of the malnutrition the difference was found significant between sex (p<0.05). The study also shows that there is difference between the malnutrition and hand grip strength norms (p<0.05). When we take a look at the sufficiency of daily energy consumption of the old individuals, we see that %71.7 are consuming insufficient energy and %28.3 are consuming sufficient energy and the difference was found significant between sex (p<0.05). It is indicated that all the individuals met their needs insufficiently with the figures like diet fiber (<25 gr), vitamin D (<15 mcg), vitamin B1 (<1.2 mg), vitamin B6 (K:<1.5 mg, E:<1.7 mg), folic acid (<330 mcg), vitamin C (K:<95 mg, E:<110 mg), calcium (<950 mg), magnesium ( K:<300 mg, E:<330 mg) and cholesterol (<200 mg). When comparing the consumption amounts of fiber of the individuals who think that they have a sufficient nourisment and those who do not think so, and also those whose apetite levels are very well, good enough, and not good enough, it is seen that there is a difference statistically ( p<0.001, p<0.05). Assessing the range of the individuals according to the body mass index, we see that 2.2 % are slim, 29.7% are normal, 45.7% are slightly fat, 18.8% are obese in the first cathegory, 2.9% are obese in the second cathegory and 0.7 are obese in the third cathegory. When we take a look at the average hand grip strength levels of the idividuals surveyed, we see that 49.3 % are insufficient and 50.7% are sufficien, and that there is a statistical difference among their hand grip strength proficiency levels (p<0.001). No statistically significant relationship was found between the HEI points of the individuals and their BMI grouping (p>0.05). Average point of HEI of all the individuals is 68.12+/-7.62. When comparing the average point of HEI according to the two sexes, no difference is seen statistically (p>0.05). No statistical difference was found between the sub-parameters of the elderly SF-36 scale and the BMI grouping (p>0.05). The median of mental indications points of all the individuals is %62.7 (12.9-100) and the median of physical indication points is %62.5 (2.1-96.9). Additionally, the points of mental indications and physical indications and difference was found statistically significant by sex (p<0.01). It is observed that there is a positive correlation among the SYI points, hand grip strength norms (r=0.182, p<0.05) and MNA screening points of the old aged individuals (r=0, p<0.05). It is also seen that a positive correlation among the SYI points of the individuals and the mental and physical indications which are the SF-36 parametres (r= 0.170, p<0.05; r=0.259, p<0.01). In conclusion, it has been shown that nutritional status, quality of life and malnutrition may be related to each other in elderly individuals, but it has not been interpreted and finalized. For that reason, it is important to do more investigation, having a dietician, providing nutrition education on the elderly aged individuals living in more nursing homes.