Unit 43: Promoting Nutrition and Hydration in Care Settings Assignment

Introduction: Key Information About This Assignment Brief

Each task in this assessment brief has been developed to enable you to demonstrate and evidence achievement of the learning outcomes and assessment criteria for Unit 43 Promoting Nutrition and Hydration in Care Settings in an organisational context specific to your work environment. You must complete all outcomes to successfully achieve the knowledge elements of this unit.

Preparation for the assessment

• Before you begin the assessment tasks, please read the guidance that supports this unit thoroughly to ensure that you provide the right content in your responses that relate to the assessment criteria.
• Research the topics related to this assessment. Your tutor will signpost you to the learning resources and recommended reading list, created to support and help you develop your understanding of the unit topic.

Completing the assignment brief

• This assignment brief contains a series of tasks for you to complete. Each task is recommend to the relevant assessment criteria detailed in the Assessment Guidance Table below.
• The work should be word-processed and presented professionally, with clear headings and where illustrations or work-based evidence is being presented, this should be included in the main narrative.
• In-text recommendation of external sources, quotations and models should be evident in your narrative to show that you have undertaken research to gain an in-depth understanding of the topic, as well as crediting the sources used to build your narrative.
• You must include an example list following the conventions of The Harvard Style System. This should be present on your final submission, so your tutor can verify all the documents, websites and sources used.

If you require extra support or guidance with structuring your work, Native Assignment Help offers professional assignment help tailored to your course requirements. Their expert team can help ensure your assignment meets academic standards while staying aligned with unit objectives.

ASSIGNMENT PURPOSE AND AIMS

In this unit, you will develop knowledge and skills in promoting health and wellbeing through nutrition and hydration, and by following a plan of care in care settings. You will learn about the principles of nutrition and a balanced diet, including hydration, and then apply this in a workplace situation. You will have opportunities to develop, practise and demonstrate the skills required when following a plan of care, and when supporting health and wellbeing through the nutrition and hydration of individuals. You will consider special dietary requirements and special diets, including their relevance and importance in care settings.

UNIT ASSESSMENT GUIDANCE MAPPING TABLE

Task Number	Unit Assessment Criteria Covered (office use only)
1	1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2 3.1
2	1.5. 3.3, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4
3	4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.5
4	5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 6.1

ASSESSMENT TASK FIRST

Task 1: Part A

This task is all about what constitutes a healthy balanced diet and why this is so important. Please complete the table below that relates to the blank Eatwell Plate, defining the food group each colour section represents and then provide a summary of the Eatwell guide.

Green	Vegetables and fruits- The section showcases all kinds of fruits and vegetables. These are important for providing minerals, vitamins and fiber, this helps in maintaining overall the health, aid digestion and provide support to the immune function.
Yellow	Rice, pasta, potatoes, bread and different starchy carbohydrates. This group involves the stretchy foods; it includes bread, pasta, potatoes and rice. These are paramount energy sources, offering fiber, carbohydrates and different minerals and vitamins.
Blue	Dairy alternatives and diary (Includes yogurt, soya drinks. The section majorly covers the yogurt, milk, soya drinks and cheese. These kinds of foods are rich in protein, calcium and Vitamin D, these are essential for bone health.
Purple	Pulses, beans, meat, fish and other proteins. The group involves plant based and animal based protein which can include fish, eggs, pulses and beans. These foods offer important amino acids, zinc, iron and Vitamin B.
Pink	Food which are high in fat, sugar and salt. The category involves foods which are majorly high in sugars, fats and salts; this includes cakes, sweets, and processed snacks. These can be consumed within the specific or limited amount.
Summary of the Eatwell Guide
The guide of Eatwell offers the visual representation of amounts of food groups which are essential for the effective and balanced diet. This focuses on the significance of consuming the foods variety to make sure about adequate intake related to the essential nutrients (Volkert, et al, 2019). The Eatwell guide advises that vegetables and fruits need to make up major dietary portion, supplemented through starchy carbohydrates dairy alternatives and dairy, source of protein. This also recommends limiting the food intake in salt, fat and sugar and increases the drinking fluids. The major aim is to develop wellbeing and overall health by directorial the individuals towards eating patterns which are healthier (Government dietary guidance _ Eatwell Guide, 2023).

Task 1 Part B

Complete the boxes below to explain sources and role of essential nutrients for health.

Nutrient	Food sources	Function in body
Protein	Chicken, breast milk, ground nuts, chicken, milk, cheese, lentils, eggs, beans and meats.	The protein is essential for growth, enzyme and hormone production, immune function, lean muscle anticipation, tissue repair and offering the energy whenever there are unavailable carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate	Bread, pasta, honey, peas, carrots, potatoes, bananas, cereals and rice.	Carbohydrates offer required energy (calories), which is essential for bodily functions and physical activities.
Fats	Chicken, butter, milk product, cooking oil, fish, avocado, ground nuts, cheese, cream and meat.	Fats are majorly source of important fatty acids and the absorption related to the vitamins which are fat soluble such as A, D, E and K. These offer support the growth of cell, energy and protect the organs.

Minerals

Nutrient	Food sources	Function in body
Calcium	Dairy products, nuts, leafy green vegetables, cereals, seeds, white bread and pulses.	Calcium is important for teeth and bone strength, muscle function, proper nerve and blood clotting.
Iron	Red meat, dried fruit, cocoa, leafy green vegetables, black pudding, plain chocolate, cocoa, treacle, corned beef and egg yolk.	Iron is important for creating haemoglobin within the red blood cells; this transfers oxygen in all over the body.
Potassium	Oranges, spinach, avocado, bananas, beans, potatoes and fish.	Potassium helpful in nerve signals, regulate the balance in fluid, muscle contractions. This is essential for the heart health (Munoz, et al, 2020).
Sodium	Processed foods, food which is canned in the brine, salted meat, snack food and sodium bicarbonate.	Sodium regulates the nerve function, fluid balance and muscle shrinkages.

Vitamins

Nutrient	Food sources	Function in body
Vitamin A	Oily fish, liver, cheese, yoghurt, eggs and milk.	Vitamin A offers support in maintaining healthy skin, immune system, mucous membranes and vision within dim light.
Vitamin B	Cereals, eggs, seeds, meat, yeast extract and dairy products.	Vitamin B is essential for growth, energy release and appropriate nerve function.
Vitamin C	Peppers, blackcurrants, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, citrus fruits and broccoli.	Vitamin C mainly keeps the healthy skin, bones, wound healing, protect cells, cartilage and blood vessels.
Vitamin D	Egg yolk, margarine, oily fish and sunlight exposure.	Vitamin D sustains healthy bones, encourages calcium absorption, nervous system and teeth.
Vitamin E	Vegetable oils, liver, cereals, bacon, cheese and leafy green vegetables.	Vitamin E is kind of antioxidant which helps in guarding against the harmful substances damage, maintaining the cell walls.
Vitamin F	Seeds, nuts and oils.	Vitamin F assists the body with development and growth. This helpful for body to make signalling compound.

Assessment Task 1 Part C

Most people know that they should follow a healthy balanced diet. This task looks at the reasons why we should eat a balanced diet and the impact of a poor diet.

You need to write a report title ‘The importance of a healthy balanced diet’. The following must be covered:

• Discuss the importance and benefits of a healthy balanced diet for health and wellbeing.

The healthy and balanced diet provides support in mental and physical wellbeing. This boosts the immune system, increase life expectancy and prevent diseases. The healthy balanced diet protects against the different chronic noncommunicable diseases, this can include diabetes, disease and cancer (Volkert, et al, 2019).

• Evaluate the impact of poor diet on health and wellbeing.

The imbalanced diets such as sugars, fats and salts and lack of nutrition, this may cause fatigue, obesity and reduced cognitive function. The poor diet may lead to depression, stress and may actually aggravate and affect the wellbeing, health.

• Explain how to access additional support and information relating to nutrition and hydration.

For the effective nutritional guidance, it is essential to consult professionals which can include dieticians, GPs and nutritionists. The trustworthy online resources such as NICE, food standards agency, British Nutrition foundations and public health England.

ASSESSMENT TASK TWO

Assessment Task 2 Part A

Everyone should be able to have a healthy balanced diet. For some people, this can be more challenging. In this part, you are exploring how to support people from different groups to have a healthy diet. You are required to provide a written account titled ‘A healthy diet for everyone’. The following must be covered:

• Explain barriers to healthy eating and what adaptations to a balanced diet may be required for different groups.

The barriers related to the healthy eating, this can include different physical challenges like as cognitive issues such as dementia; it may disrupt the eating habits. Another challenge is dysphagia which increases difficulty in swallowing. The conditions of mental health, it may include depression, this may decrease the motivation in making notorious meal. The economic constraints may restrictions bounds access to the effective and healthy options of food. The adaptations for the various groups, this can include adjusting the food consistency for the individuals who are having difficulties in Swallowing, making use of herbs to boost the flavours for individuals with diminished tastes, ingredients for diabetes individuals and maintaining the size of portion sizes.

• Explain why individuals may have special dietary requirements.

Individuals can have special dietary requirements because of food allergies, health conditions, religious and cultural beliefs. For instance, the individuals with the Celia disease need to avoid gluten; it may reduce the severe and major health issues.

• Explain why it is important for individuals with special dietary requirements to follow special diets.

This is important for individuals with special dietary requirement to follow special diets due to intolerance, allergy and other medical needs (Lobo, et al, 2020). The individuals with the diabetes required to maintain intake of carbohydrate to manage sugar levels. Obeying to special dietary requirement plays an important role and make sure about the dietary needs.

• Explain factors that may promote healthy eating in different groups and evaluate the effectiveness of different ways of promoting healthy eating.

By promoting the balanced diets can include personalise and educational care planning. The care staffs need to educate the individuals related to the balanced nutrition and include individuals in developing nutrition plan which can respect their needs and preferences. The effective strategies can include co-operative the eating habits, creating visual appealing food, make sure about positive environment of eating.

Assessment Task 2 Part B

Carrying out assessments of an individual’s nutritional and hydration will help in ensure that they are getting a healthy balanced diet. Monitoring an individual’s nutrition and hydration will help determine if a person’s nutrition plan is effective or not. In this task, you need to answer the questions below in relation to Mrs Jones.

Mrs Jones is a new service user in a care home. She has dementia and diabetes.

• Explain why nutritional screening should be carried out for Mrs Jones.

The Nutritional screening for the Mrs Jones plays an effective role because of her diabetes and dementia. The dementia may damage her ability to recognise thirst and hunger, while diabetes needs efficient supervision of blood sugar levels via diets. The (MUST) malnutrition universal screening tool needs to be utilised to evaluate the nutrition status. This may include calculating her weight and height to know (BMI) Body Mass index, assessing effects of acute illness, weight loss. Scores from steps would be regulating her risk related to malnutrition.

• Describe what your own role and responsibilities would be and those of others in assessing and managing Mrs Jones’ nutritional and hydration needs.

My role can include conducting the primary assessments by making utilising MUST tool, regular collaborating with the team of care to make the customised nutritional plan. The responsibilities may involve monitoring the weight of Mrs. Jones, recording the fluid and food intake (The Care Certificate Standard 8: Fluids and Nutrition, 2023). This helpful in make sure that she follows to her plan related to diabetes management. I might communicate with the different healthcare professionals; this can include GPs and dietarians. The care staffs needs to be attentive for sings of dehydration, malnutrition and report to care providers and care manager.

• Explain how Mrs Jones’ nutrition and hydration can be monitored.

Hydration and nutrition of Mr. Jones may be monitored via recording food, regular weighing and recording fluid and food intake. By applying the fluid and food chart, this will be helpful in identifying and tracking potential issues related to her diet (Hill, et al, 2021). The monitoring needs to involve assessing the urine output to evaluate the fluid balance. Any major changes in her eating habits and weight need to review and focus on nutrition plan. The consultations and on-going updates with the healthcare team are important to adjust the care plan.

ASSESSMENT TASK THREE

Task three Part A

The Eatwell guide states that people should drink 6-8 cups of fluid a day. This task is focused on good hydration. You need to create an information leaflet promoting the importance of good hydration. This must cover the following:

• Explain the importance of hydration.

The hydration is essential for managing wellbeing and overall health, human bodies are mainly composed of water, this is major portion of two third of male’s body and half of female’s body. Water helpful in removing waste products via perspiration, urination and bowel movements (World Health Organization, 2020). This regulates lubricates, body temperature and cushions joints, this also protects sensitive tissues, spinal cord and carrying the nutrients in body. By drinking the sufficient fluid may decrease the risk of urinary and bladder tract infection. This can include cystitis within women, this also helpful in avoid the reappearance of kidney stones.

• Describe signs of dehydration.

Dehydration establishes via different systems, the common signs can involve fatigue, confusion, thirst and dizziness. The individuals can face issues related to heart palpitations, headache and increase in heartbeat. Dry eyes, mouth, skin and lips are major indicatives of the dehydration. Within the severe cases, majorly in the infants and older adults, the dehydration may life threatening. The groups at the high risk might involve older adults, infants, babies, individuals which are having diabetes and athletes which lose major fluid in sweat.

Task three Part B

Complete the following:

Explain ways to support and promote hydration with individuals and evaluate the effectiveness of these.

 To promote and support hydration, this is important to teach the individuals related to risk of dehydration and significance related to fluid intake. This may be effective within the care setting in which older adults and individuals can disinclined to drink because of incontinence. Evaluating that the dehydration may enhance the risk related to the urinary tract infection, this may motivate them to drink fluids. The care staffs needs to make sure that fluids are provided throughout the day. In accordance with the NIH guidelines, sugar free drinks, lower fat milk and water, this includes coffee and tea (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – advice and guidance on nutrition, 2023). All are recommended to have cups 6-8 fluid on the regular bases (Adepoju and Allen, 2019). By offering the food which content water, this can include casseroles, soups, vegetables, fruits, jelly and ice lollies. These may help those which declined to the drink. Sweets, jelly drops which are having 95% water, these are deigned to offer support hydration for individuals who are facing difficulties in fluid intake. By continuously providing the drinks and make sure about the availability to fluids are major and efficient strategy for increasing hydration. For the individuals who are incapable to drink by their own, the care staff needs to frequently provide them drink and permits enough time to consume it. Offering the necessary aids, this includes adapted mugs, straws, it boosts their capability to drink by their own or independently. By developing the environment in which drinking is the main and social activity may motivate the individuals to be hydrated. By applying the efficient strategies, the care staff may boost the individual’s hydration status, decreasing the risk related to the dehydration.

ASSESSMENT TASK FOUR

Malnutrition is a common health problem caused by an inadequate diet. In this task, you need to show your understanding of those at risk of malnutrition and how to support those at risk of malnutrition or those who are malnourished.

Write an account titled ‘Understanding and managing malnutrition’. The following must be covered:

• Explain the factors that may affect nutritional intake.

Nutritional intake may be affected by different factors, physical health conditions, this can include Parkinson’s and arthritis disease can hampers the cooking and food preparation. The conditions which are affecting appetite, such as alcohol, drug abuse, medications side effects may decrease food intake. The digestive issues which can include Crohn’s disease may increase the nutrient loss. Swallowing difficulties and dental problems from the different conditions such as stroke may increase difficulties in eating. Mental issues, these include dementia and depression may reduce eating motivation. Moreover, socioeconomic factors like as poverty, living alone and in intuitional setting such as care homes, may reduce the access to the nutritious food. Lifestyle choices, this involving dependency on processed food, may put negative impact on the nutritional consumption.

• Explain the risk factors that may lead to malnutrition.

Different risk factor may lead to the malnourishment. This may involve chronic illness which can boost the nutritional needs and impact nutrient absorption; it can include COPD and cancer. The elderly individuals are majorly at the risk because of the physical limitations and reduction in appetite. The socioeconomic factors such as social isolation and poverty can increase insufficient food intake. The different physical conditions, this can include eating disorder and depression may affect the eating habits.

• Describe the signs of malnutrition.

Malnutrition highlights different symptoms and signs, such as loss or gain weight, decreased tissue and muscle mass, decreased stamina and mobility (Heinemann, 2008). The individuals can experience scaly skin, dry skin and difficulties in breathing and boosted the infection risk. Depression, slow healing of wound and challenges in managing temperature of body, these are major symptoms. The mineral and vitamin deficiencies, like as anaemia, these are major within malnourished individuals.

• Explain ways of ensuring foods and drinks have increased nutritional density through fortification.

Fortification may include increasing in nutritional value of drinks and foods. This may be gained by including ingredients with high calorie such as full fat milk, butter and cream to the different foods such as scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes. Adding sugar, cream, jam and honey to the porridge may enhances caloric intake, the protein may be increased by milk powder, seeds, nuts and cheese into meals. For minerals and vitamins, pureeing root vegetable and including them to the different dishes, such as casseroles and soups to make sure about nutrient intake. The different methods helpful in meeting nutritional needs of individuals in effective manner.

• Discuss the appropriate use of nutritional supplements.

The nutritional supplements are important when the diet alone not able to meet the nutritional needs of individuals. Supplements major recommended and prescribed by the professionals and experts in healthcare. These professionals make sure about the satisfactory nutritional intake, offer support in illness recovery. The common (ONS) oral nutritional supplements are milkshakes types, juice types, soup types, energy powders and dysphagia ranges. The diverse such as high concentration and protein jellies offer targeted nutrition.

REFERENCES

Books and journals

Adepoju, A.A. and Allen, S., 2019. Malnutrition in developing countries: nutrition disorders, a leading cause of ill health in the world today. Paediatrics and Child Health, 29(9), pp.394-400.

Hill, A., Elke, G. and Weimann, A., 2021. Nutrition in the intensive care unit—a narrative review. Nutrients, 13(8), p.2851.

Lobo, D.N., Gianotti, L., Adiamah, A., Barazzoni, R., Deutz, N.E., Dhatariya, K., Greenhaff, P.L., Hiesmayr, M., Jakobsen, D.H., Klek, S. and Krznaric, Z., 2020. Perioperative nutrition: Recommendations from the ESPEN expert group. Clinical nutrition, 39(11), pp.3211-3227.

Munoz, N., Posthauer, M.E., Cereda, E., Schols, J.M. and Haesler, E., 2020. The role of nutrition for pressure injury prevention and healing: the 2019 international clinical practice guideline recommendations. Advances in skin & wound care, 33(3), pp.123-136.

Volkert, D., Beck, A.M., Cederholm, T., Cereda, E., Cruz-Jentoft, A., Goisser, S., de Groot, L., Großhauser, F., Kiesswetter, E., Norman, K. and Pourhassan, M., 2019. Management of malnutrition in older patients—current approaches, evidence and open questions. Journal of clinical medicine, 8(7), p.974.

Volkert, D., Beck, A.M., Cederholm, T., Cruz-Jentoft, A., Goisser, S., Hooper, L., Kiesswetter, E., Maggio, M., Raynaud-Simon, A., Sieber, C.C. and Sobotka, L., 2019. ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition and hydration in geriatrics. Clinical nutrition, 38(1), pp.10-47.

World Health Organization, 2., 2020. Guidance on COVID-19 for the care of older people and people living in long-term care facilities, other non-acute care facilities and home care (No. WPR/DSE/2020/015). WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific.

Online

Government dietary guidance _ Eatwell Guide, 2023. Available through https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-eatwell-guide

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – advice and guidance on nutrition, 2023. Available through https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/lifestyle-and-wellbeing/diet--nutrition-and-obesity

The Care Certificate Standard 8: Fluids and Nutrition, 2023. Available through <https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Documents/Learning-and-development/Care-Certificate/Standard-8.pdf >