Aging & Society: Eighth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

Support for elders at home by nutritionists is often limited at the time of discharge from medical institutions. The preventive effects are expected such as preventing easy hospitalization and institutionalization, if nutritionist support their daily lives. By chronologically analyzing thirty-five cases of nutrition records who used the care service (supplying comprehensive service consisted of consultation, nursing, care, and meals) and by interview with the users in an urban area, Tokyo, Japan, the assessment information on nutrition management and the impact on other supports were checked. Nutritionists were not only related to nutrition management, but also monitored wide processes related to meal support such as shopping, food storage, cooking, eating meals, and cleaning up afterwards. They cooperated with medical staff on living support, nursing care support, and medical support. In addition, they covered not only the elderly person him/herself, but also grasped the circumstances of other supporters such as family members. This survey suggests the necessity to intervene in daily life from the early stage in elderly care and to arrange support according to individual living conditions.