What links frailty, dysphagia and dementia and how can pharmacy improve patient care?

The current primary care focus on frailty is of great importance but we often forget that nutritional status has a strong link with risk of frailty and its consequences. Malnutrition is a significant and common problem in older frail patients however it is frequently unrecognised by older people themselves, their relatives and by many health and social care professionals.

This presentation will focus on:

• the links between malnutrition, frailty, dementia and dysphagia
• why this significant problem is under recognised in the UK
• how malnutrition can be identified
• how pharmacists could be central to simple and effective treatment

Biography: I have been qualified as a Dietitian for more than 20 years, and for the last 6 years have worked as a Prescribing Support Dietitian within a Clinical Commissioning Group. My role focusses on appropriate prescribing of all products relating to nutrition, with a particular remit for appropriate prescribing of oral nutritional supplements and appropriate identification and treatment of malnutrition. I have particular interests in malnutrition, care homes, dysphagia and dementia.

I am the chair of the Older People Specialist Group of the British Dietetic Association (BDA), a group on whose committee I have previously served for more than 10 years

I am also a Specialist Adviser for the Care Quality Commission and I have recently also been appointed as chair of the Department of Health, Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances.

Foundation/Advanced Level