Surgery and hospitalization are stressful events for your body, and a highly nutritious diet helps you prepare and supports your recovery in many ways.
Preventing Malnutrition After a Hospital Stay: 6 Questions to Ask Your Doctor (2016) from the National Council on Aging (NCOA) offers tips on how older adults entering the hospital can plan ahead to get the nutrition they need during their hospital stay and when they return home.
6 Questions to Ask your Doctor
- What is my current nutritional status?
- How can I make sure to eat well when I get home?
- How will I know if I'm becoming malnourished?
- How should I manage my prescribed medications?
- Which foods should I eat and which should I avoid as I recover?
- Should I avoid physical activity, and if so, for how long?
The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS, 2020) from Defeat Malnutrition Today helps ensure the best possible outcomes after surgery. Many healthcare providers are helping people improve their nutrition before and after an elective procedure by following Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) care plans. Learn more about ERAS care plans (here) and ERAS nutrition strategies (here)
Importance of muscle mass in recovery: Sarcopenia is an advanced form of muscle loss. this easy-to-understand video (Spanish video) by Aging in Motion (2021) explains Sarcopenia and Sarcopenia Facts and Figures shows consequences of muscle loss.
Post-hospital Recovery: Know How Good Nutrition Can Help Your Recovery from the Alliance to Advance Patient Nutrition (2014) highlights the importance of nutrition and reviews tips to help adults avoid malnutrition after discharge.
