Table 2 Participant characteristics at baseline (n = 22)
Variables | n (%) / Mean (SD) | Median [IQR] |
|---|---|---|
Age (years) | 83.2 (7.3) | 85 [81, 87] |
Gender | Female – 12 (55%) Male – 10 (45%) |  |
Ethnicity | Chinese – 10 (45%) NZ European – 8 (36%) Other European – 2 (9%) Maori – 2 (9%) |  |
Level of care | Hospital – 18 (82%) Rest home – 4 (18%) |  |
Average length of stay (months) | 32.4 (28.7) | 24.1 [6.7–58.1] |
Mobility level | Independent – 5 (23%) Semi-independent – 6 (27%) Wheelchair – 3 (14%) Bedridden – 8 (36%) |  |
Feeding requirement | Full assistance – 13 (59%) Independent – 9 (41%) |  |
No. of medical conditions | 5.3 (2.5) | 5.0 [3.5–7.5] |
Bowel movement frequency per week |  < 3 – 3 (14%) 3–7 – 14 (64%) 8–14 – 5 (23%) |  |
Use of laxative | 17 (77%) | Â |
Reasons requiring pureed diet | Dysphagia diagnosed by a speech-language therapist – 12 (55%) Chewing difficulty noted by a nurse– 4 (18%) Eating & drinking difficulties due to dementia noted by a nurse – 6 (27%) |  |
Oral nutritional supplement | 15 (68%) | Â |
Thickened fluid requirement | 10 (45%) | Â |
Barthel Index score (out of 100) | 22.9 (29.9) | 5.0 [0.0–45.0] |