Effect of Nursing Intervention to Improve Functional and Nutritional Status among Pre Frail Elderly

Abstract

Frailty is an age-related state of decreased physiological reserves characterized by an increased risk of poor clinical outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the Effect of Nursing intervention to improve functional and nutritional status among pre frail elderly. Design: A quasi-experimental design (pre – post test) design was used. Setting: at the village of Elzankloun in Zagazige city, Sharqia Governorate, Egypt. Sample: A purposive sample consisted of 60 elderly. Tools: four tools used; Tool I: A structured interview questionnaire (contained two parts; Demographic characteristics, Health related data). Tool II: Frailty Status. Tool III: functional status and Tool (IV): mini nutritional questionnaire. Results: the mean age of the studied elderly was 65.17+3.88 years and 73.3% of them were males, also the studied elderly frailty post-intervention were non-frail 21.7%, pre-frail 73.3% and frail 5% while, pre-intervention 100% of them were pre-frail. Additionally the study illustrated that there was a highly significant statistically negative correlation between total frailty status and the studied total functional status at (P <0.01**, r= -0.670), in addition to a significant statistically negative correlation among total frailty and total nutritional status at ( P< 0.05* , r= -0.389).  Conclusion: there was a statistically significant difference between the studied elderly at pre and post-intervention regarding their total frailty status, functional status, and nutritional status. Recommendation: Replicate the study on a larger group; selected from different geographical areas in Egypt to obtain more generalized findings in relation to current study.