Table 1.
Demographic, Medical, and Nutritional Characteristics of Participants (n=90)
| Measure | Percent (n) or Mean (±Standard Deviation) |
|---|---|
| Demographic Characteristics | |
| Percent Female | 80.0% (72) |
| Percent White | 78.9% (71) |
| Age | 82.9 (± 10.0) |
| Length of Stay in Years | 2.9 (± 3.3) |
| Medical Characteristics | |
| Percent with a Physician-recorded diagnosis of Depression | 41.1% (37) |
| Percent with a Physician-recorded diagnosis of Dementia | 37.8% (34) |
| Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) Total Score (0–30) | 15.8 (± 8.7) |
| Nutritional Characteristics | |
| MDS Eating Dependency (0–4)* | 1.0 (± 1.4) |
| Percent MDS Eating Dependency > 0 | 36.7% (33) |
| Percent with an Oral Liquid Nutrition Supplement Order | 48.9% (44) |
| Percent with a Special Diet Ordera | 93.3% (84) |
| Percent with a Body Mass Index (BMI) < 20b | 17.8% (16) |
*
Minimum Data Set (MDS) eating dependency item (section G. physical functioning, item 1h) is scored: (0) independent, (1) supervision, (2) limited assistance, (3) extensive assistance, (4) totally dependent on staff to eat.
a
Special diets included any restrictions (no added salt, no concentrated sugars) or altered texture (ground, mechanical soft, puree, thickened liquids).
b
Body Mass Index (BMI) formula = 0.454 weight in pounds/(0.254 height in inches)2 A BMI below 20 is considered indicative of under-nutrition.