Abstract
Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the nutritional status, health conditions, eating habits and experience and demand for nutrition dietary management of senior citizens. And these data are formed foundation of development of nutrition dietary management education program and contents in welfare facilities for the aged. Methods: We visited 3 public health centers, 3 senior citizens centers, and 4 welfare centers in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, Chungnam province, and Daejeon area and carried out interview by semi-structured questionnaire for senior citizens older than 65 years who use those facilities. Results: The study included 17%, 30.7% and 52.3% of senior citizens from public health centers, seniorcitizen centers and and welfare centers, respectively. The age range of 43.9% of the population was 65-74 years and and 56.1% were older than 75 years. We observed that 83.2% of subjects took some medicines due to diseases that they have and 58.0% took prescription medicines for hypertension. The thing that they considered the most when selecting food was 'the taste'(p<0.05). Regarding the level of practice to keep the dietary life, they answered more than 'average' for most of items but answered less than 'average' for lot of salt intake, drinking, exercise. For the experience of nutrition dietary life education, only 19.8% answered 'Yes' and the service for nutrition dietary life management showed the highest score in the demand for 'provide nutritious food'. For the size of consulting group for nutrition/dietary life education, the public health center and welfare center preferred a larger group size but the senior citizens center preferred a smaller group. With regard to who will carry out the consulting, the demand for dietitian was the highest and the operation type showed the high demand in the order of consulting, education. The contents that they want to have consultation in nutrition dietary life education were diet therapy for diseases and the ordinary diet therapy for health. Conclusions: This study suggested the management of nutrition dietry life necessitates qualitative measures according to the different types of welfare facilities. For these, it is in need of development of counseling and education program included therapy for disease. Above all, the policy to secure dietitian of welfare facilities for the aged to perform these should be achived.
