An Intervention Study of Self-feeding for the Elderly in Nursing Homes.
10.12799/jkachn.2017.28.4.450
- Author:
Kyung Hee LEE
1
Author Information
1. Department of Nursing, Saekyung College, Yeongwol, Korea. eamilriana@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Clinical Trial ; Original Article
- Keywords:
Feeding behavior;
Food assistance;
Aged;
Caregivers;
Nursing homes
- MeSH:
Aged*;
Caregivers;
Cooking and Eating Utensils;
Eating;
Feeding Behavior;
Food Assistance;
Humans;
Korea;
Meals;
Nursing Homes*;
Nursing*;
Pleasure;
Posture;
Rehabilitation
- From:Journal of Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing
2017;28(4):450-462
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the effects of an intervention of self-feeding for elderly residents who were eating with assistance or eating by himself/herself with spilling food. METHODS: The Participants were 11 elderly people and 6 formal caregivers from 7 nursing homes in Korea. The intervention was to use the spoon and chopstick sets designed for compensating the weakened eating function. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through observation, structured questions, and in-depth interviews. RESULTS: The mealtime was significantly increased by 3.2 minutes (p=.011) after the intervention. Three themes were extracted for the meaning of self-feeding expressed by the elders; fighting alone for self-feeding, pride of participating in the study, and burden for self-feeding and research participation. Caregivers expressed the meaning of the elder's self-feeding such as the regret of missed chances, facilitating rehabilitation, the increase of the eating pleasure and quality of care, and ambivalence. CONCLUSION: Self-feeding has become an opportunity to recognize life values for the elders in nursing homes; for the caregivers, to reconsider caring of the elderly. Posture and eating utensils were also important to improve self-feeding skills.
