Barriers to Adequate Nutrition

Your nutrition is a big deal to us at Total Home Health.  We strive to provide you and your loved ones with the best care possible in every aspect of your well-being.  Our professionals are compassionate, and understand that even the smallest of problems can cause you the greatest amount of stress.  When our staff enter your home we will do all we can to make you feel welcomed and as if you’re one of our own each and every day.  Many individuals have difficulty consuming a nutritional diet or one that has been prescribed to them due to factors that create a barrier.  It is a good idea for you to become familiar with these barriers so that you can possibly identify what it is that is causing you or your loved one to have an inadequate diet.

Medical, psychological, and social factors can all create nutritional barriers.  As part of both the initial health assessment and ongoing assessments for the duration of your time with Total Home Health, our nurses will always be observant to your condition and needs in order to educate you on which aspects could be causing your nutritional troubles.  Plus, our nursing staff will follow through with your care to make sure you have the necessary resources for all of your provider recommendations.  If we see resources are lacking, we will help you to make changes.  Following are barriers to your nutrition that your Total Home Health nurse may have to acknowledge at some point during your care:

•   Poor quality of teeth, dental cavities, or ill-fitting dentures
•   Low income status with a lack of access to resources
•   Cognitive disorders
•   Altered sensory perception
•   Trouble swallowing
•   Lack of knowledge and following incorrect information about nutrition

Following are more in-depth explanations of the nutritional barriers as listed above, along with nursing interventions that may be carried out by professionals at Total Home Health at any time during your care.  These areas include:

o   Poor quality of teeth, dental cavities, or ill-fitting dentures

·         If you have lost teeth or have teeth that need removed or repaired, there may be an impaired ability to chew.

·         After teeth are removed, it may be difficult to adjust to the feeling of dentures.

·         Nursing care of this area includes:

§  Educating you to limit consumption of processed carbohydrates, which can stick to your teeth and increase your chance of getting a cavity.

§  Encouraging use of a fluoride tooth paste.

§  Performing an oral assessment to identify any issues that could potentially impact your ability to eat properly.

§  Consultation with a dietician or your provider if needed, so we can begin a proper diet according to your needs.

o   Low income status with a lack of access to resources

·         Lack of finances to buy healthy foods if you have orders to follow a special diet.

·         Nutritious foods tend to be more expensive than canned and boxed foods.

·         The less expensive canned and boxed foods are poor choices for you if your diet restricts salt and calories.

·         Eating canned and boxed foods frequently can lead to malnutrition and/or obesity.

·         Lack of transportation to get to the local grocery store will result in not having the adequate supply of food in your home.

·         Nursing care of this area includes:

§  Collaboration with a dietician to discuss food options that are healthier for you to appropriately substitute in your diet.

§  Educating you that frozen fruits/vegetables may be a more affordable option, and can be kept longer in the freezer.

§  Educating our clients on how to correctly read food labels, if applicable.

§  Reaching out to community resources regarding the availability of food or meals to be delivered to your home.

o   Cognitive disorders

·         These disorders may include dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and they could have a significant impact on your nutrition.

·         Impairments in your memory and judgment may be observed, which could make food selection difficult.

·         With progression of a cognitive disorder clients may refuse to eat or only choose to eat small amounts of food that will not provide them with adequate nutrition.

·         Nursing care of this area includes:

§  Encouraging you to make and follow a shopping list if you are still able to go to the grocery store on your own.

§  Evaluating your need for nutritional supplements.

§  Encouraging you to eat at the same time daily with minimal distractions.

o   Altered sensory perception

·         Altered senses may make it difficult to feed yourself or food may not satisfy you.

·         A decrease in vision may require frequent assistance with preparing food.

·         An altered sense of smell generally causes an altered sense of taste.

·         Smoking can cause a diminished sense of smell.

·         Chemotherapy and/or other types of medications can leave an unusual taste in the mouth (metallic taste), this may mask the real taste of food.

·         Chemotherapy can also cause nausea and anorexia, causing food aversion.

·         Nursing care in this area includes:

§  If you have a decrease in vision, we will try to reach out to community services that could deliver your groceries and/or meals straight to your home, or our professionals may be able to do your cooking/shopping.

§  We will educate you that if you have food aversions to try to eat foods that are served cool because they generally do not have quite as strong of an aroma, and are less likely to cause nausea.

§  Our nurses will suggest to you to eat foods that are spicy or tangy to compensate for your decreased sense of taste, if your condition permits.

§  Encouraging you to suck on hard candy, mints, or chewing gum to get rid of unusual tastes in your mouth.

o   Trouble swallowing

·         Clients with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, or those who have suffered from a stroke can have difficulty in this area.

·         The conditions mentioned above can affect the muscles in your mouth and throat, which increase your risk for complications.

·         Nursing care of the area includes:

§  Continually monitoring you if you are at risk for choking during meals.

§  Working closely with a dietician in order to come up with an appropriate diet for you if you require modifications.

§  Thickening your fluids to allow for much easier swallowing.

o   Lack of knowledge and following incorrect information about nutrition

·         You may not have a good understanding about nutritional needs, which could cause you to be over nourished, under nourished, or not taking in the nutrients that you should be. 

·         Nutrition information may be confusing, or false advertising may be misleading.

·         Nursing care of this area includes:

§  Our professionals will always work closely with you until you understand the information to the best of your ability.

Total Home Health has a program that is right for you.  With us you will never be alone and someone will always be there to educate you, talk to you, encourage you, support you, and just be your best friend.  We understand that at your most vulnerable moments you want to be surrounded by only those you can trust, and we plan to be those people!