Nutritional Care

Understanding the changing role of nutrition at the end of life helps provide better support. Appetite naturally declines, and swallowing may become difficult, often causing distress for families. Your guidance and compassionate care can provide comfort and ease concerns.

Incorporate simple assessment tools into daily care to help identify and address nutritional and oral health issues early. You can use:

• Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) tool (91kb pdf) to assess nutritional status
• Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT) (20kb pdf) to screen for oral health issues
• Regular mouth checks to identify issues with teeth, dentures, or gums that may affect eating or drinking.

Food is more than just nutrition. It also provides comfort and connection. Acknowledge the social and emotional importance of food by:

• Talking with families about what food and drinks are meaningful to them
• Creating opportunities for shared meals and familiar foods to bring comfort
• Acknowledging the social and cultural significance of food by respecting preferences, traditions, and mealtime rituals.

Encouraging individual choices around food and drink helps maintain autonomy and dignity. Help people to eat and drink in a way that feels right for them by:

• Letting them decide how much, what, and when they eat
• Simplifying meals with smaller portions and food tailored to their preferences
• Offering meals or snacks when they are most alert and receptive.

Families and friends often worry when they notice the older person eating less. You can reassure them by:

• Explaining that the person is not dying because they have stopped eating, but they have stopped eating because they are dying
• Encouraging eating for pleasure rather than for nutrition
• Sharing small portions of enjoyable food.