Malnutrition is a common problem among elderly people living in nursing homes and in the community.
This anthropological study investigates eating problems and the use of feeding tubes in nursing homes. One hundred nursing home residents who were not eating well were followed for a period of six months or longer. Eighty two percent of the residents were below their ideal weight. Typically, when residents begin to lose weight, rather than investigating the underlying problem and correcting it, oral commercial oral supplements are ordered. Thus, they are denied the pleasure of eating food during the last months of their lives.