According to information released at the opening session addressing nutrition among the elderly in Israel, it was learned that 25% of hospitalized senior citizens die as a result of malnourishment, not due to sickness or disease.

Internationally renowned expert, Elia Marinos, a professor of clinical nutrition and metabolism from Britain stated “Israel is facing a very serious problem, malnourishment, because there is no awareness of the problem and therefore, no one is addressing it.” Prof. Marinos adds that the poor nutritional realities are also resulting in obesity and nutrition has a direct impact on the economy.

The professor adds that many elderly residents lack the funds to purchase the proper foods, resulting in functional and cognitive problems including loneliness and depression. Some cases become increasingly complicated, leading to poor food absorption and problems pertaining to the ingestion and digestion of foods. Prof. Marinos explains that even some obese patients are victims of malnutrition, lacking essential vitamins and minerals.

According to Dr. Danit Shachar, a gerontologist affiliated with Ben-Gurion University, 34% of senior citizens admitted to Israeli hospitals are diagnosed as suffering from some form of malnutrition which at times is manifest by a lack of vitamins and minerals which impair some bodily functions. Statistically speaking, these patients are usually hospitalized for longer periods, more frequently develop complications and their treatment is generally more costly. Dr. Shachar states that despite these alarming facts, the state prefers to ignore the problem rather than invest in simple testing, monitoring and treatment.

Dr. Irit Hermesh of the Israel Nutrition Organization conducted a study which reveals 50% of hospital patients in Israel suffer from malnutrition and there is a significant number of senior citizen fatalities among hospital patients as a direct result of malnutrition. Dr. Hermesh adds the system ignores this and the general medical community lacks awareness and the necessary budget to address the issues at hand.

Health Ministry official Yosfa Nachal responds to the report, stating all geriatric hospitals have a slot for a dietician and there has been an increase in monitoring of geriatric patients in nursing facilities. Yosfa adds that new standards are constantly being introduced.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)