Abstracto

Advanced medical Nutrition in patients admitted in Neuro-rehabilitation department.

Daniela Limonta

Prevalence of hospital malnutrition ranges between 20% and 50%. Severe brain injury often induces a state of malnutrition that will have a negative impact on neuro-rehabilitation. Villa Beretta is an Italian Neurological Rehabilitation Hospital that provides support for adults with physical, cognitive and/or communication disabilities as a result of an acquired brain injury, including stroke, accidents, neurological illness, spinal injury, and multiple sclerosis. In our department good nutrition is an essential part of care. Our Nutrition Service has the task of recognizing and treating malnutrition. Nutritional support may take many forms such as enteral tube feeding or parenteral nutrition, appropriate diet, oral nutritional supplements and amino acid (we use an oral supplementation of a specific mixture of essential and non-essential amino acids that has a synergistic effect with exercise to increase skeletal muscle mass, strength, and walking speed in our patients). However, we think that the food of our patients is crucially important for their rehabilitation. Our menu offers traditional Italian dishes such as lasagne, risotto or gnocchi. Their flavour and quality are comparable to Italian restaurants all around the world. Most of the times, one of the main reason patients do not eat in hospitals is that the quality is very bad. We think that food is the first therapy for patients, so it is extremely important for us that the meal is delicious. Good nutrition helps to improve physical and mental functioning and, most important, it can improve the quality of life. Eat well, live well!