Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 2 of 2
Factors influencing the degree of eating ability among people with dementia
- Authors:
- LEE Kyoung Min, SONG Jun-Ah
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Clinical Nursing, 24(11-12), 2015, pp.1707-1717.
- Publisher:
- John Wiley and Sons
Aims and objectives: To explore the degree of eating ability in people with dementia and identify what factors affect their eating ability. Background: Appropriate food consumption is important to human life. Although eating difficulties are common among people with dementia, little is known about what factors might influence their eating ability. Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. Methods: A total of 149 people with dementia residing in nursing facilities in Seoul or the Gyeonggi area of Korea were evaluated using the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination, Korean Activities of Daily Living Scale and Eating Behaviour Scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. Results: The participants showed a moderate level of dependency with respect to eating ability and were most dependent on the use of utensils. There were significant differences in eating ability according to general characteristics such as duration of residence, duration of illness, degree of visual impairment, eating place, and diet type. The eating ability of the participants was significantly correlated with cognitive function and physical function. Cognitive function, physical function, duration of illness, eating place (living room or dining room), and diet type (soft or liquid) significantly predicted eating ability in people with dementia. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that it is necessary to thoroughly assess the eating ability of people with dementia and to develop appropriate training programmes to maintain or improve their remaining eating ability. The creation of a pleasurable physical and social environment for eating might also be helpful. Relevance to clinical practice: These findings would be able to serve a useful basis in the development of materials for nursing intervention programmes for people with dementia during mealtimes by improving the techniques and care qualities of nursing caregivers. (Edited publisher abstract)
Dental health, nutritional status and recent-onset dementia in a Korean community population
- Authors:
- KIM Jae-Min, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 22(9), September 2007, pp.850-855.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Dental health is an important determinant of nutritional status, but has not been investigated as a risk factor for dementia. This study aimed to investigate the association between number of teeth, use of dentures and recent-onset dementia. This was a cross-sectional analysis nested within a prospective study of community dwelling elderly residents in two areas of Kwangju, South Korea. In a study of 686 community residents aged 65 or over without dementia followed over 2.4 years, measures of dental health were compared between those with and without dementia at follow-up. Fewer teeth were significantly associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. This association was strongest in participants without dentures. Strong associations were found between fewer teeth and indices of poor nutrition in this group, but these did not account for the association with dementia. Having fewer teeth may be a marker of risk for dementia. This might be explained by specific nutritional deficits, or by other side effects of periodontal disease. Further prospective research is indicated.