The Connection Between Malnutrition, Dehydration, and Falling

Many nursing home (NH) residents do not eat and drink enough. Subsequently, undernutrition (malnutrition and dehydration) is an extremely common condition, affecting up to at least one-half of residents. Both malnutrition and dehydration are associated with a host of complications, several of which can cause falls and harm, as well, as being predictors for future falls. Yet, under-nutrition has received little attention in NH fall prevention programs.  As a result, NH staff may be missing potential preventive factors in their efforts to prevent falls. Similarly, including undernutrition in a facility’s fall prevention efforts may have a comparable effect, detecting cases early and improving the resident’s fluid and dietary status. The purpose of this course is to increase nurses’ awareness of malnutrition and dehydration as risk factors for falls, the role both play in the causation of falls, and how interventions aimed at improving the resident’s dietary and fluid status can simultaneously help avoid falls and injuries.

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Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  1. Extent of malnutrition/dehydration and falls in the NH.
  2. Risk factors for malnutrition/dehydration and falls.
  3. Characteristics of malnutrition/dehydration resulting in falls/injury.
  4. Screening and assessment tools for malnutrition/dehydration and falls.
  5. Interventions aimed at malnutrition/dehydration and fall prevention

Curriculum

Chapter 1: Malnutrition

Chapter 2: Dehydration

Chapter 3: Falls

Chapter 4: Screening and Assessment

Chapter 5: Interventions

Chapter 6: Case Study

  • Course Summary
  • References

Price: $18.00

Contact Hours: 1.5

Course Author

Rein Tideiksaar

Rein Tideiksaar, PhD, PA-C, or Dr. Rein as he is commonly referred to, is the president of Fall Prevent, LLC, Blackwood, New Jersey, a consulting company that provides educational, legal, and marketing services related to fall prevention in the elderly.

Dr. Tideiksaar is a gerontologist, which is a health care professional who specializes in working with elderly patients, and a geriatric physician's assistant. He has been active in the area of fall prevention for over thirty years. 

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