GUH and COPE Galway promote healthy eating for older people

COPE Galway Community Catering, in partnership with Galway University Hospitals launched “Good food and healthy eating advice for older people living independently” booklet. The purpose of the booklet is to raise awareness about the risks of malnutrition in older people, offer useful tips and recipes for healthy eating, and provide information about the benefits and availability of Meals on Wheels in Galway. The booklet follows on from a pilot at GUH where older people admitted to hospital were identified if in need of nutritional support and were referred for Meals on Wheels on discharge.
 
COPE Galway supports healthy independent living at home. Their Community Catering Meals on Wheels service produces and delivers nutritious meals enabling older people to live independently in their own homes. Speaking at the launch, Geraldine Ryan, COPE Galway Community Catering Executive Chef said, “The booklet offers top tips on how to eat well, healthy snack ideas, and handy foods to have in your cupboard in case you can’t get to the shops, information on Meals on Wheels, along with lots more!  It will be of interest to Older People, their families and carers”.
 
The healthy eating booklet explains that malnutrition occurs when you are not eating enough of the right foods to meet what your body needs to stay well. Some common signs of malnutrition are feeling tired, getting frequent illnesses and infections, finding it hard to keep warm, being low on energy to do normal daily activities, losing your appetite, and finding it hard to concentrate.
 
Edel Mannion, Clinical Nurse Specialist in frail elderly in GUH said at the launch, “Healthy eating for older adults was identified as critical to overall health and wellbeing and quality of life.
 
The acute healthcare facility at GUH provides an opportunity to attain and sustain healthful eating habits. In particular, for patients with chronic diet-related diseases, learning to eat well can improve well-being and enhance quality of life. However, in Ireland, 11% of patients admitted to hospital were found to be malnourished and between 63% and 84% were found to be at nutritional risk.  Under-nutrition and acute rapid weight loss of as little as 2-3kg (5%) in combination with disease:
 
• increases the risk of complications
• lowers resistance to infection
• impairs physical and mental functioning
• Delays recovery
• may be life-threatening
 
The booklet is being distributed widely to health care professionals such as public health nurses and GPs, and community groups who will also be able to make it available to those who need it. Anyone interested in a copy can contact COPE Galway Community Catering at 091 700800.
 
COPE Galway would like to thank all who were involved in the project, especially the nursing practice development department GUH and Mary Frances O’Reilly DON (Nursing & Midwifery Planning & Development Unit), who sponsored the production of the booklet.
 
For more information or to get a copy of the booklet please contact edel.mannion@hse.ie CNS Frail Elderly GUH on 091 542134 or akenny@copegalway.ie COPE Galway Community Catering Meals on Wheels 091-700800 or Click here to view the booklet
 
Photo caption
Pictured at the launch L:R - John o Grady, volunteer, COPE Galway; Fiona Gillespie, Administration, COPE Galway; Edel Mannion, Clinical Nurse Specialist Frail Elderly, GUH:  Geraldine Ryan, Executive Chef COPE Galway; Mary O Neill, Public Health Nurse, Brenda Richardson, Public Health Nurse and Shirley Hope Sweeney,  Graphic Designer.