Mealtime in nursing homes: the importance of individualized care.

Malnutrition, a common problem among nursing home residents, contributes to: a) higher rates of infection, b) an impaired immune response, and c) the development of pressure sores. Eating habits are highly individualized and eating problems often occur due to a complex constellation of interacting factors such as poor oral health, medications, clinical conditions, and lack of attention to individual food likes and dislikes. By educating nursing assistants on how to provide individualized care at mealtime and ensuring that an adequate number of staff are available to assist those who need help, mealtime rather than being a task-oriented procedure will be an individualized, pleasant social event.