MALNUTRITION IN INSTITUTIONALIZED OLDER ADULTS

Abstract

Malnutrition among elderly residents in long-term care facilities represents a critical public health challenge, directly impacting morbidity and mortality rates. The central objective of this study is to investigate the prevalence of malnutrition in elderly residents of Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCFs), minutely analyzing the associated risk factors and the main prevention and clinical management strategies adopted. This is a literature review with a quantitative approach, featuring exploratory and descriptive objectives, with a temporal search spanning from 2014 to 2024 in the MEDLINE, SCIELO, and LILACS databases using the descriptors: Malnutrition. Elderly. Institutionalization. Health of the elderly. It was evidenced that malnutrition is intrinsically associated with the decline in functionality and the presence of comorbidities, suggesting that social isolation and the lack of individualized nutritional protocols are the main catalysts for clinical worsening in this environment. It is noted that malnutrition in institutionalized elderly is not an inevitable consequence of aging, but a critical indicator of failure in early assistance, acting as the main predictor for functional decline and increased mortality in this group.