According to the American Geriatrics Society, more than half of older adults in hospitals or long-term care (LTC) homes experience malnutrition. Malnutrition includes both under- and over-nutrition and can result in health issues, functional disability, impaired immune function, poor quality of life, hospitalization and increased risk for morbidity and mortality.
Christina Lengyel is a professor in the U of M’s department of food and human nutritional sciences. Her work focuses on examining the nutritional and health challenges faced by baby boomers and older adults living in residential care settings, as well as those in community residences in both rural and urban environments.
Lengyel’s passion for working with older adults took root early in life. During her childhood, she formed close relationships with her older adult neighbours, whom she considered to be like family. At 14 years old, she began volunteering with older adult residents in LTC homes.
“Growing up with older adults in my community as a child, I realized the different needs they had,” Lengyel said. “I just loved working with older adults. I had a passion for that. I knew there was a need for helping out.”
Lengyel emphasized the variety of factors that affect an older adult’s dietary intake, explaining that “a lot of people think it’s just the type of food that someone consumes, but it’s so much more than that.”
Meal accessibility, meal quality, mealtime experiences and environmental factors impact the amount and type of food a resident in a LTC home consumes.
One study co-authored by Lengyel found that when family members assist an older adult with eating in LTC, they consume more protein and energy than when they do not. The study demonstrated that residents who have difficulty eating independently can greatly benefit from dedicated help from family members during meals.
Another study Lengyel co-authored interviewed 17 family care partners and four residents in LTC. The study solidified the “indispensability,” of a present family. The study re-emphasized the importance of mealtimes in LTC and family inclusion at meals, and why eating alone, as happened during COVID-19, was so detrimental to residents.
“Effort needs to be made to value this communal activity for the well-being of residents,” the authors reported.
In a 2023 study, Lengyel and her team revealed the struggles of LTC staff in Canada managing mealtimes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Constant changes in public health mandates disrupted routines, negatively affecting residents’ physical and emotional well-being.
While infection control measures aimed to ensure safety, they often limited social interaction and engagement. With communal dining largely restricted, the importance of mealtimes as sources of connection and nourishment was highlighted.
The research team stressed that future pandemic measures should balance safety with residents’ quality of life by developing protocols that consider their physical and emotional needs, especially when it comes to valuing mealtimes as a social event.
Currently, Lengyel is working on a study exploring emergency food service preparedness in Canadian LTC homes. During emergencies, such as natural disasters and pandemics, effective food delivery and nutritional support for older adults in LTC is essential.
When evacuating during an emergency, relocating residents in LTC homes can be challenging. Sheltering in place may be more practical, yet providing food, water, supplies, sleeping areas and power remains difficult. The food supply chain may also have been disrupted, leaving residents unable to meet their nutritional needs.
“Given all the changes we see with climate change and things that can happen just very quickly, how do LTC providers quickly make decisions about how to engage when there is some kind of [emergency]?” Lengyel said. “Are they preparing themselves? What guidelines do they have? Are they following guidelines?”
Ultimately, the project aims to assess current emergency food service practices in LTC homes and develop a template manual to support facilities in this crucial area.
Lengyel emphasized the importance of supporting the nutritional well-being of older adults.
“They are a vulnerable group, and I think that we have to be aware of how we can ensure that they are meeting their nutritional requirements and quality of life,” she said.
