Meal services at long-term care facilities in Korea

초록

Objectives This study is aimed at understanding meal services provided at long-term care facilities. Method Interview survey was conducted using questionnaires at long-term care facilities located in Kyung-In area in Korea. Those 254 facilities participated in the survey out of 1104 facilities based upon their agreement to join. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test. Results Of the residents, 93.1% were eating meals without help. Eating places included living rooms and residents’ rooms in most facilities. Major noise source was television in 63.8%. Apron was applied to all residents at mealtimes in 49.6% of the facilities. Half of the facilities used feeding tools except for ordinary spoon and chopsticks. Of the facilities having individual prosthetic devices, dentures were applied before eating in 98%, whereas glasses 20.2% and hearing aids 9.2%. Most facilities included residents’ favorite foods in menu; only 9.4% offered the menu which residents can choose. Staff education on meal service was performed at 93.3% of the facilities. Of the respondents, 69.3% indicated that food and menu need to be improved. Statistical significance was observed by the size of facilities in terms of the adequacy of lighting at eating places, number of residents using feeding assistance tools, management of wearing glasses, and helping staff. Conclusions Research and application of assistive eating tools should be made. In addition, standard guidelines for meal services need to be established to maintain functional abilities and to improve quality of life in elderly residents.