The Memorial Meal Mates: a program to improve nutrition in hospitalized older adults

Geriatr Nurs. 2002 Nov-Dec;23(6):332-5. doi: 10.1067/mgn.2002.130279.

Abstract

A common problem among older hospitalized patients is inadequate nutritional intake. The Memorial Meal Mates project was developed to address this problem. College-aged volunteers were provided a 3-hour in-service taught by an interdisciplinary team. During a 2-month period, the Memorial Meal Mates fed 34 patients, who were compared with 34 other patients fed by nursing staff. The mean intake of the Meal Mates group was 58.88%, compared with the mean intake of the control group of 32.45%. Patients fed by the volunteers nearly doubled their intake over those fed by nursing staff.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Deglutition Disorders / prevention & control
  • Energy Intake
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / prevention & control
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Nutritional Physiological Phenomena*
  • Volunteers* / education