PD1005 - WHAT ELSE SHOULD I CHOOSE? OLDER ADULTS’ PREREQUISITES FOR NUTRITIONAL SELF-CARE

PD1005

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I CHOOSE? OLDER ADULTS’ PREREQUISITES FOR NUTRITIONAL SELF-CARE

T. Launholt^1,2,*, P. Larsen³, H. K. Kristensen^2,3

¹Department of Nursing, UCL University College, Vejle, ²Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, ³Health Sciences Research Centre, UCL University College, Odense, Denmark

Rationale: Malnutrition is common among older adults (OAs) receiving homecare services, and its incidence is expected to rise with the growing global OA population. Motivation and education of the OAs themselves may improve their nutritional self-care and thus prevent malnutrition. This study aimed to identify factors influencing the prerequisites for nutritional self-care among OAs living at home.

Methods: 16 Danish OAs, ≥65 years, in home care participated in two semi-structured interviews lasting 9–82 minutes, either in person or by phone. The interviews were part of a feasibility test of an intervention aimed at the early detection of malnutrition risk. All interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results: In the study setting, most OAs experienced health issues, including chronic conditions that limited their capacity to improve nutritional self-care. Additionally, decisions about diet and physical activity were often influenced by social connections, habits and cultural norms, rather than by evidence-based knowledge. As an 86-year-old man remarked when asked about his choice of sliced sausage, liver pâté and cheese for his bread: ‘What else should I choose?’ Furthermore, motivation for some appeared to depend on age; for instance, a 96-year-old woman stated, ‘I’m almost 100 years old... now I want my self-determination,’ showing reluctance to make significant changes. However, overall, the elderly demonstrated considerable trust in authorities and willingly allowed home care staff to weigh them and ask risk-related questions.

Conclusion: Several factors limit OAs prerequisites for nutritional self-care: 1) state of health, 2) access to research-based knowledge and 3) age and life situation. Motivational strategies are effective only for some OAs; structural supports tailored to individuals’ resources and life situations are needed instead.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared