The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase in the number of older adults in the community who are at risk of malnutrition. Vulnerable groups include people recovering at home from mild-to-moderate COVID-19, those discharged from hospital after severe infection and those who have undergone extended periods of social isolation as a result of the public health measures in place to reduce the spread of infection. Various COVID-19-specific malnutrition care pathways and resources are available, and this article details practical interventions that can assist nurses caring for older adults in the community to identify and manage malnutrition risk.
Managing malnutrition in older adults in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic