An innovative rehabilitating meals-on-wheels service for frail old people

An innovative rehabilitating meals-on-wheels service for frail old people
A Due1, L Justesen1, A Beck1 1Department of Nursing and Nutrition, University College Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark Contact: [email protected] Background: Preparing meals are part of ordinary activities of daily living. However, frail old people receiving meals-on-wheels (MOW) may lose their functional abilities in relation to such preparation. No studies have investigated, whether it is possible for frail old people, receiving MOW to learn or relearn to manage own meals. The aim of this intervention is to investigate if a rehabilitating MOW service including an innovative food basket could have a positive effect on functional abilities in relation to
the preparation of meals and thereby improve health-related quality of life in frail old people. Methods: An 8-week randomized controlled trial. 76 old people (65+ years old) who receive MOW are randomized to either a control group receiving usual MOW service or an intervention group additionally receiving one of four different food baskets consisting of four different food ingredients and recipes with graduation in degree of complexity delivered twice a week. The recipes is chosen in accordance with level of function, assessed by means of AMPS and the old adult practice cooking skills under supervision of an experienced occupational therapist. Primary outcome is health-related quality of life measured by EuroQol5D-5L, secondary outcomes are physical function (30seconds chair-stand), Satisfaction with food-related quality of life questionnaire, Food related functional ability questionnaire, Meal quality questionnaire, dietary intake and body weight. Results: The intervention is ongoing and planned to end July 2019. Data will undergo statistical analyses and presented in November 2019. Conclusions: The study will contribute with new knowledge about whether a rehabilitating MOW service including an innovative food basket could have a positive effect on functional abilities in relation to the preparation of meals and thereby improve health-related quality of life in frail old people.