Ingestive Skill Difficulties are Frequent Among Acutely-Hospitalized Frail Elderly Patients, and Predict Hospital Outcomes

ABSTRACT

Purpose : 

To examine the relationship between ingestive skill performance while eating and drinking and frailty status in acutely-hospitalized elderly patients and to examine whether there is a relationship between the proportion of ingestive skill difficulties and Length of Hospital Stay (LOS) and discharge destination. 

Methods : 

Frail (n = 64) and robust (n = 40) acutely-hospitalized elderly patients were assessed using The McGill Ingestive Skills Assessment. 

Results :

Forty-three ingestive skills were significantly more affected in frail patients (21.9% to 95.3%) versus robust patients (2.5% to 65.0%). When adjusting for frailty status, difficulties in self-feeding and texture management were related to prolonged LOS, and difficulties in positioning and liquid ingestion were related to discharge to institutional care. 

Conclusion : 

Ingestive skill difficulties among acutely-hospitalized frail elderly patients were frequent and characterized by great complexity. This necessitates a broad range of management strategies related to the patients’ ability in positioning, self-feeding skills, as well as oropharyngeal sensorimotor skills.

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