Addressing the nutritional needs of older people in residential care homes.

In the UK and Europe, malnutrition in older people is a significant and continuing problem. Malnutrition predisposes to disease, impedes recovery from illness, increases mortality and is costly to society. Despite the high number of older people potentially at risk, malnutrition in care homes has been under explored.

Sociocultural context of nutrition in care homes.

Aim: To investigate factors that influenced nutritional care provided in two different types of residential care settings.

Methods: The study used qualitative methods, including focus group interviews with relevant staff members, individual interviews with managers and residents of the care homes and their informal carers, observation of food preparation and mealtimes throughout the day and analysis of appropriate documents.

Findings: Data were analysed thematically, and this article describes one of the four main themes that emerged: the relationship between social context and residents' eating and drinking experiences.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomies: the burden of treatment from a patient perspective.

Aim: This paper reports a study of patients' experiences of this relatively new technology, and explores possible strategies for defining, delineating and addressing patients' concerns, problems and needs.

Background: The number of patients in the community relying on percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy for their nutritional needs is increasing, but percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy feeding is not problem-free. However, few studies report on its impact from a patient perspective.

Giving people a voice: reflections on conducting interviews with participants experiencing communication impairment.

Aim: The aim of this paper is to describe the various strategies employed to mitigate communication impairments and to argue that illness experiences may be captured through methods other than audio-tape recordings of spoken words.

Background: This paper explores issues surrounding the collection of interview data from participants experiencing communication impairments. It derives from a qualitative interview study, which enquired into experiences of living with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.