Nutrition Action Plan Is Good News, Says Help The Aged, UK
'Today's action plan is good news - it shows the Government is committed to nutrition for the most vulnerable. But it is sad to think that there still needs to be this emphasis on making improvements in what should be a basic level of care and support for hospital patients.
'We know that hospitals have been trying to improve the quality of food, but mealtimes should be about more than just refuelling. Nutrition and dignity must go hand in hand - older people should be given a choice about what to eat, receive help with eating if they need it and be given the time to enjoy their meal. We must get the basics right.
'Increased training for health and social care staff to help people with their meals should not have to wait until 2008 - this should already be part of an induction for new members of staff. Good information about nutrition and best practice is available now and is being used in some care settings already. We need to take action now as well as planning ahead to improve standards.'
Help the Aged has recently published a review, The Challenge of Dignity in Care: Upholding the rights of the individual. The research forms the basis of the Charity's dignity challenge, setting out what needs to happen, by whom, where and by when.
Help the Aged is the charity fighting to free disadvantaged older people in the UK and overseas from poverty, isolation, neglect and ageism. It campaigns to raise public awareness of the issues affecting older people and to bring about policy change. The Charity delivers a range of services: information and advice, home support and community living, including international development work. These are supported by its paid-for services and fundraising activities - which aim to increase funding in the future to respond to the growing unmet needs of disadvantaged older people. Help the Aged also funds vital research into the health issues and experiences of older people to improve the quality of later life. Help the Aged urgently needs donations and support to help it in the increasingly challenging fight to free disadvantaged older people from poverty, isolation and neglect.
http://www.helptheaged.org.uk
Planul de acþiune de nutriþie sunt veºti bune, spune Ajutor vârstnicii, Marea Britanie - Nutrition Action Plan Is Good News, Says Help The Aged, UK - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate