What is the level of nutrition care provided to older adults attending emergency departments? A scoping review.

Background: Older adults often experience adverse health outcomes including malnutrition following discharge from emergency departments (ED). Discharge to community care is a transitionary time where nutritional vulnerability could be mitigated with the instigation of targeted nutrition care pathways in ED settings.

Aims And Objectives: This scoping review aimed to establish and describe the level of nutrition care provided to older adults admitted and subsequently discharged from EDs.

What is the level of nutrition care provided to older adults attending emergency departments? A scoping review protocol.

Nutrition status among older adults is an important factor in health and clinical outcomes but malnutrition goes unrecognised in routine health care.  Older adults often present to emergency departments (ED) and are subsequently discharged without hospital admission.  Discharge is a transitionary time of care when nutritional vulnerability could be mitigated with the instigation of targeted nutrition care pathways.