Topic outline
Nutrition in Elderly (1 ECTS): WELCOME to the Course
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
1. Identify of the eating choices of elderly.
2. Provide reasoning of general eating choices of elderly.
3. Assess macronutrients and micronutrients’ intake requirements.
4. Provide recommendations regarding the healthy diet suitable for elderly.
5. Create a diet plan of elderly to maintain health or improve their health condition.
Topic 1: General social and health situation of elderly
Upon completing the lesson on General social and health situation of elderly you will:
- Know the main causes of morbidity and mortality rates of elderly in high and low income countries.
- Learn about Lifestyle. and Risk Factors of elderly population.
- Explain of Health Status and access to health services of elderly.
- Understand socio-economic Conditions of Older Persons
- Describe the most common morbidity and disability among elderly piopulation and methods of their prevention.
1.Please read the https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242468171_HEALTH_OF_OLDER_PERSONS
and the Article 1 HEALTH_OF_OLDER_PERSONS
and the Article 2 Older people’s perceptions of health and wellbeing in rapidly ageing low- and middle-income countries
and the Article 3 Healthy Ageing – A Challenge for Europe
Proceed with watching videos below:
Video on Integrated care for older people by WHO recommendation. 2 min:
Video on Health services for aging populations. 3 min:
Video on nutrition and aging. 28 mins:
Referring to the articles read, please respond to the questions below in a written form and submit:
1. Describe the United Nations Principles for Older Persons (UN).
2. What are the key roles World Health Organization Minimum Data Set on Ageing and Older Persons?
3. What are the main health promotion and preventative measures for old population?
4.What are the most common morbidity and disabilities among 60+ population ?
5.Describe socioeconomic conditions of older persons.
6.What are the 20 single causes of death of older persons?
7.Can you explain a life style and risk factor profile of persons 65+(%)?
8. Describe access to health services of older persons in different countries.
9.National report on the status of older persons in your country(2022 )
Topic 2. Nutrition assessment in the elderly. Meal patterns.
Upon completing the lesson on " Nutrition assessment in the elderly. Meal patterns." you will:
- Be able to distinguish between nutritional screening and nutritional assessment.
- Learn four methods used to collect nutritional assessment data.
- Explain the Nutrition Care Process Model.
- Understand the general meal patterns
- Discuss the role of nutritional assessment for elderly people.
1. Chapter 1: Introduction to Nutritional Assessment of the textbook Nutritional assessment by Robert D. Lee, and David C. Nieman, 20 min
2. Assessment of nutritional status in the elderly: A proposed function-driven model, 10 min
And then review the Mini Nutritional Assessment and get acquainted with the information on the website, 15 min
Proceed with watching videos below:
3. Video on Mini Nutritional Assessment for elderly, 12 min
4. Video on practical assessment of nutrition in the older adult, 20 min
Please carefully study below listed artcles to be able to complete the Assignment 2:
5. Article 1 on Assessment of nutritional status among older adult and elderly population in India, 30 min
6. Article 2 on Meal Patterns, 30 min.Referring to the articles read, please respond to the questions below in a written form and submit
Article 1
1. What are the key factors contributing to malnutrition among older adults and elderly populations in India, as discussed in the article?
2. What role does educational attainment play in predicting the nutritional status of older adults, and how does it influence the likelihood of being underweight or overweight?
3. How does the study highlight the impact of social class, income level, and family structure on the nutritional status of older adults in India?
4. What are the potential implications of malnutrition among older adults, and how can addressing this issue contribute to healthy aging and improved quality of life?
5. What are the challenges and risk factors associated with malnutrition among older adults, and how can policy interventions help combat this public health burden?
Article 2
1. How do researchers define meal patterns in the context of adult nutrition studies, and what are the key considerations in these definitions?
2. What are the various methods and tools used to assess meal patterns and nutrient intakes in the reviewed studies, and how do they contribute to our understanding of adult nutrition?
3. In what ways do meal patterns influence diet quality in adults, and what implications do these associations have for public health interventions and dietary guidelines?
4. What are the different approaches used to define meals in the studies reviewed?
5. How do meal patterns impact nutrient intakes and diet quality in adults?
6. Why snacking frequency is important among elderly people according to the researches cited in this article?
The quiz contains 10 multiple choice questions based on the material covered during the topic 2.
All question contain one correct answer. Total time to comlete the quiz is 20 minutes.
Topic 3. Nutrition requirements for elderly: Macronutrients and micronutrients.
Upon completing the lesson on "Nutrition requirements for elderly people: Macronutrients and micronutrients" You will:- know about micronutrients and macronutrients for elderly people
- learn about requirements for elderly people
and the Article 1 Nutrition for elderly people . 20 min
and the Article 2 NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS FOR OLDER ADULTS. 20 min
Then watch the video 1
Then watch the video 2Topic 4. Guidance and recommendations for elderly.
Upon completing the lesson on "Strategy and tactics of healthy diet for the elderly: guidance and recommendations," you will:- Be able to identify and comprehend the specific nutritional needs of the elderly, considering factors such as age-related changes, health conditions, and lifestyle.
- Be familiar with established dietary guidelines and recommendations tailored to the elderly population.
- Learn to identify and address common dietary challenges faced by the elderly.
- Learn strategies for empowering elderly individuals in the decision-making process regarding their dietary choices.
and Article 1. Roberts et al., 2021.Healthy Aging - Nutrition Matters: Start Early and Screen Often Advances in Nutrition, 15 min
and Article 2. O' Mahony et al., 2023 A qualitative study of older adults’and healthcare professionals’ perspectives on the potential of functional foodproducts to support healthy ageing, 15 min
Then, watch Video 1: Dietary Guidelines for Older Adults, 12 min
and Video 2: Dietary Strategies to Augment Muscle Mass in the Elderly, 23 min
- Assignment Title: Dietary patterns and nutrition considerations for the elderly in your country, 120 min (in-class and out-of-class)
The objective: to explore and analyze the dietary patterns, current food intakes, and special nutrition considerations for the elderly population in the students' respective countries.Useful sources to cover (click on the materials below):
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Older Adults: Toolkit for Senior Nutrition Programs
- Scientific recommendations for food-based dietary guidelines for older adults in Ireland
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025
1. Select a country
- Choose a country that you are interested in studying for this assignment. It could be your home country or another country of interest.
2. Collect information
- Gather information on the dietary patterns and current food intakes of the elderly population in your chosen country. Explore scientific articles, government reports, and reputable health organizations' publications to obtain reliable information.
3. Special Nutrition Considerations
- Identify any special nutrition considerations for the elderly in your country. This may include prevalent health conditions, cultural or regional variations, and socio-economic factors that impact dietary choices.
4. Visual Representation- Create a visual representation of your analysis and findings. This could be in the form of graphs, charts, or infographics to comprehensively present the information. Upload your file here (Max.number of files is 5).
!!! Please ensure that you name your uploaded files according to the following format: GroupNumber_LastName_AssignmentNumber. For instance, if you are in Group 3, your last name is Kenesh, and you are submitting Assignment 4, the file name should be 3_Kenesh_Assignment_4.pdf
Grading:
Pass or Fail (Effective use of visual representation to convey information or not). Select a question from the the presentation (check the "Core open-ended questions" slide ) and post your answer in this thread. Also, provide a feedback on the answers by your fellow students, 40 min.
Click on the button "Add discussion topic" below to write your contribution. You will see the answers of your colleagues only after you have posted your own. Write 2 replies to fellow students to spark the discussion!
Grading:
Pass or Fail to answer a question, and provide feedback
Here are 10 MCQs graded quiz assignment for 10 minutes.
Topic 5. Creating a diet plan for elderly.
Dear student, in this class you need to
Watch the Video 1 Gesunde Ernährung für ältere Menschen – ein Überblick/Healthy nutrition for the elderly - an overview (please use the auto-generated subtitles. Click on Settings > Subtitles > Auto-translate> English), 7 min
and Video 2 Regional und Saisonal essen – Gut für dich und die Umwelt/Regional and seasonal food - Good for you and the environment (please use the auto-generated subtitles or AI translation), 10 min
The following article is optional to read: Clegg, M.E. and Williams, E.A. (2018) Optimizing nutrition in older people. Maturitas, 112. pp. 34-38. ISSN 0378-5122 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.04.001
and then, proceed to the assignment partsInterview with an elderly individual: insights for designing a diet plan, 60 min (all stages)
The objective of this assignment is to gain practical insights into the dietary preferences, challenges, and cultural considerations of elderly individuals. Through an interview with an elderly person, you will gather knowledge to inform the design of a personalized diet plan that aligns with the individual's needs and preferences.
Read the instructions for the assignment:
1. Selecting an Interviewee:
Identify and contact an elderly individual who is willing to participate in an interview about their dietary habits and preferences. Ensure that the chosen person is comfortable sharing personal information.
2. Informed consent:
Before conducting the interview, provide the elderly individual with a clear and concise informed consent form. Clearly explain the purpose of the interview, how the information will be used, and assure them of confidentiality.
3. Interview questions:
Think of 6 to 10 core questions to ask, so you the interview itself goes for 20 min max. Consider developing and including questions related to their favorite meals, any dietary restrictions, cultural food preferences, challenges they face in maintaining a healthy diet, and their perceptions of nutrition. Feel free to use or update our set of questions (click here)
4. Conducting the Interview:
Conduct the interview in a respectful and empathetic manner. Use the prepared questions as a guide but allow for flexibility and follow-up questions based on the interviewee's responses. Ensure a comfortable and conversational atmosphere.
5. Recording or note-taking:
Record the interview with the interviewee's consent or take detailed notes during the conversation. Document their responses, paying special attention to key insights related to their dietary habits, challenges, and cultural influences.
6. Transcription (if applicable):
If the interview was recorded, transcribe the conversation for ease of reference. Ensure that all sensitive information is handled with care, respecting the interviewee's privacy.
7. Prepare and upload the interview document to this thread: Please ensure that you name your uploaded files according to the following format: GroupNumber_LastName_AssignmentNumber. For instance, if you are in Group 3, your last name is Kenesh, and you are submitting Assignment 5, the file name should be 3_Kenesh_Assignment5.pdf
Upload the file or link to the interview.
Grading for this activity: Pass or Fail.
Objective: to apply the knowledge gained in the course to create personalized and culturally sensitive diet plan for an elderly individual.
Description: Analyze the information gathered from the interview. Reflect on the key themes, challenges, and preferences expressed by the elderly individual. Consider how these insights can inform the design of a personalized diet plan for this person. Use the findings and outcomes of the previous assignments as well. Based on the interview insights and course content, design a personalized 7-days diet plan that addresses the specific needs and preferences of the interviewed elderly individual. It should contain meals' titles and portion size (describing the ingredients is optional). Consider cultural elements, health recommendations, and practical consideration.
Format: Сreate a project-work presentation (pptx) summarizing the interview process, key findings, and the personalized diet plan designed for the elderly individual. Clearly articulate the rationale behind dietary recommendations based on the interview insights and course knowledge.
Grading: Please, check the syllabus.
Course feedback
Dear course participant,
After you complete the course, please, share your thoughts, comments and questions with us in our survey. This will help to improve the course. Thank you! We wish you a nice educational journey!
