I Already Exist, I'm Here To "Live": Nursing Home Residents' Self-Determination Attitudes And Beliefs Following A Diabetic Meal Plan

[摘要] At least 60% of nursing home residents are diagnosed with a chronic disease. Chronicdiseases require ongoing medical treatment and need to be managed with diet. If not treated andmanaged, chronic diseases can limit daily living activities, leading to poor quality of life.Therapeutic diets such as low sodium, cardiac, and diabetic meal plans are usually necessary tomanage chronic diseases. However, these meal plans are blamed for decreased intake andincreased risk of malnutrition in the nursing home population. The recent culture change seen innursing homes resulted in the liberalization of diets. However, to maintain self-determination,residents are requesting more restrictive meal plans to manage their chronic conditions and morecontrol of their therapeutic selections. This ethnographic study investigates the perception ofnursing home residents with diabetes following restricted diets’ as it relates to meal choice,food/food service satisfaction, support for self-determination, and how nursing home residentswith diabetes manifest self-determination. Sunny Peak Living Center in Ross Township is one offour non-profit Allegheny County nursing homes in the Pittsburgh area dedicated to enhancingquality of life of residents and families. Resident observations took place at meal time, councilmeeting, and socials for over 11 weeks. Interviews were conducted with 12 Caucasian, cognitivelyalert residents, diagnosed with diabetes and prescribed a Consistent Carbohydrate Diet, including7 men and 5 women, ranging in age from 64-94. Semi-structured audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed using constant comparison to develop themes. Residents perceivetherapeutic diets as helpful in the treatment of diabetes and feel diets are necessary to maintainhealth and food service satisfaction is maximized by choice. Residents manifest self-determinationby exercising meal choice and expressing preferences and opinions about food/foodservicesatisfaction during meals as well as socials and resident council.

[发布机构] the University of Pittsburgh