Objective: To acquire information about nutritional problems and factors associated with them in all nursing homes in Helsinki, Finland. Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. The residents were assessed by the Mini Nutritional Assessment test (MNA) and information was gathered about residents' backgrounds, functional status, diseases and about daily routines in institutions providing nutritional care. Setting: All nursing homes in Helsinki community, the capital of Finland. Subjects: Of 2424 eligible subjects, 2114 (87%) aged residents, mean age 82 y, were examined. Results: One-third (29%) of the studied residents suffered from malnutrition (MNAo17), and 60% were at risk (MNA 17-23.5). Malnutrition was associated with the female gender, a longer stay in the nursing home, functional impairment, dementia, stroke, constipation and difficulties in swallowing. In addition, eating less than half of the offered food portion, not eating snacks and resident's weight control at long intervals were associated with malnutrition. In logistic regression analysis mainly patientrelated factors predicted malnutrition: impaired functioning (OR 3.71, 95% CI 2.76-4.99), swallowing difficulties (OR 3.03, 95% CI 2.10-4.37), dementia (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.45-2.93), constipation (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.38-2.47), but also eating less than half of the offered food portion (OR 3.03, 95% CI 2.21-4.15). Conclusions: Although internal factors explain most about the poor nutritional status of aged residents in nursing homes, the factors related to nutritional care need further investigation to clarify their role in maintaining the nutritional status of aged residents.

Use of PIDs is very common among nursing home residents, and this increases the likelihood of DDIs. Monitoring patients for PID use and potential drug interactions could increase the quality of prescribing.

Edentulousness is still common among older service housing residents. Edentulousness without prosthesis was associated with poor nutritional status, oral symptoms and infrequent use of dental services. These findings suggest the need for co-operation between nursing staff and oral care services.

This study was designed to gain information on the quality of nursing care based on the comments in nursing records. The specific aims of the study were to find out if the patients' (i) individual needs are assessed, the goals for nursing care are set, and the nursing interventions are determined; (ii) if the patients' needs are met and (iii) if goal achievement is regularly evaluated by including comments in nursing documents. In addition, the study aimed to describe the up-to-dateness of nursing care plans as well as the frequency of making daily notes. The data were collected on 36 wards of four residential homes. A 30% sample of the nursing documents on each ward was collected (n=332) using the Senior Monitor instrument. The documents studied were mainly nursing care plans and daily note sheets. Seventy-three per cent of the nursing home residents had an up-to-date nursing care plan at the time of data collection. The main results demonstrated that a written statement on the patient's mental ability was lacking in every fourth document although 75% of the patients suffer from at least moderate dementia in Finnish long-term care institutions. Development activities should also be targeted to the documentation of clear and concrete means by which patients' independent functioning is supported. In addition, evaluation was the area that warranted attention and development activities since only every fourth record included information on changes in the patients' functional capability. Although a lot of in-service training has been focused on improving the documentation practices, there is still a need for development. The means by which knowledge is transferred to guide the practice should be carefully considered. Also forms should be developed to meet the special requirements for recording nursing care in long-term care settings.

Malnutrition and inadequate protein intake were very common and associated with dentition among older people with multiple disabilities in assisted living facilities. Assessment of dental status should be part of good nutritional care in long-term care.