Nutrition and hydration

Staying hydrated and eating well in hospital is important for recovering from illness and surgery, remaining independent, reducing length of stay in hospital and helps to avoid readmission to hospital. Malnutrition is common in older people.

Some tips for helping patients stay hydrated and eat well in hospital:

• Enable access to meals by moving tray tables close to patient – sit out of bed to eat meals if safe
• Assist with meals and opening food packages
• Provide regular small snacks and fluids
• Prompt to drink water – maintain hydration
• Review by dietitian for patients with dietary needs and malnutrition - promote protein supplementation

Eating well guides

The Public Health Nutrition team from Central Coast Local Health District aims to maintain or improve the nutritional health of older people. They have produced a number of leading resources for use across Australia. These include:

Eating Well booklet - a nutrition resource for older people and their carers (10.3 MB)

This resource has been written to provide practical food and nutrition ideas and advice for older people at risk of malnutrition, their carers and support workers.