DINING EXPERIENCE, FOODSERVICES AND STAFFING ARE ASSOCIATED WITH QUALITY OF LIFE IN ELDERLY NURSING HOME RESIDENTS

Purpose: Few studies have quantitatively investigated potential relationships between quality of life (QOL) in long term care (LTC) and foodservices. Objective: To investigate if dining experiences, and food and nutritional services affect elderly nursing home residents’ QOL. Design and participants: A total of 395 residents in 38 nursing homes participated in this cross-sectional study. Measurements: Information on dining experiences and QOL was gathered by face-to-face interviews with cognitively intact residents; primary institutional caregivers completed a questionnaire for cognitively impaired residents. Additional data were also obtained from participants’ medical charts and from administrators and foodservice managers. Multivariate ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was used to determine which institutional characteristics were related to QOL. Results: Number of dining companions, autonomy in relation to food, tray meal delivery service, and ratio of residents per resident assistant were significantly related to QOL in both cognitively intact and cognitively impaired residents. For cognitively intact residents, number of medical conditions, therapeutic menus, and use of china dishes were also related to QOL. For cognitively impaired residents, independence with eating and frequency of menu revision were also related to QOL. Conclusion: Modifying certain aspects of food and nutritional services, as well as residents’ dining experience, may improve QOL of elderly LTC residents.