Gastro from one resident or two, can affect everyone including you! Elderly residents in aged care have a weakened immune system to fight against gastro. Poor management may increase the risk of developing more serious illnesses. And so, it is important to help residents gain back their strength effectively. Our Aged Care Dietitians explain further how to help residents after a gastro outbreak.
What is gastro?
Gastroenteritis, ‘gastro’, is an infectious condition of the digestive system. The causes of gastro may be from viruses, bacteria and toxins from soil, animals, and humans. These germs can be easily spread from person to person, contaminated food, contaminated water, airborne droplets and handling animals; which then enters through our mouths and into the digestive tract.
Common symptoms of gastro
The common symptoms you may experience during a gastro are:
vomiting,
nausea,
diarrhoea
stomach pain,
fever,
headaches and,
reduced appetite.
Gastro symptoms may last between 1-2 days, however, can persist for around 10 days.
What is gastro outbreak in aged care?
As gastro is quite infectious, many residents and staff in the aged care home may be affected and this is known as a ‘gastro outbreak’. These outbreaks are common and can spread quickly, particularly in areas where people live close. It may start from 2 to 3 residents who had outside visitors, bacteria and viruses can be spread via a staff who will interact with these residents and proceed to care for other residents and staff in the building.
4 steps to help residents gain their strength back if affected by gastro
Offering meals that are high in energy and protein are important to assist residents in providing enough food to help their body fight off the infection.
Ensuring residents are adequately hydrated, poor hydration can lead to confusion, dizziness, and weakness.
Before entering a resident’s room, ensure proper wear is conducted by wearing a mask, face shield, gloves and gowns; these are to be removed immediately after seeing the resident.
To sanitize hands before and after seeing the resident and touching any of their belongings.
Common gastro dietary concerns in Aged Care
Is it ok to eat dairy during or after gastro?
As the digestive system is busy and going under a lot of pressure to fight against the infection, it may not absorb or digest certain foods well, and these foods can make symptoms of nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting worse.
In particular, the enzyme to break down the sugars in dairy foods, known as lactase, may not be effective and this can cause a temporary lactose intolerance. Lactose is usually found in dairy foods such as cheese, milk, yoghurt, custard, and ice cream. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce the intake of these foods during gastro.
Fortunately, eating dairy foods after gastro is fine. Elderly residents have a higher requirement for protein and calcium, and dairy foods are an excellent source to achieve their nutrition requirements. Although, there may be some people who struggle to digest lactose for up to a month or more after gastro, they will need to be more cautious with dairy intake during their recovery.
Is it ok to eat a HEHP diet during or after gastro?
The body uses a lot of energy to fight against the infection during gastro. When your body does not have enough energy due to poor appetite and reduction of food, it may start to look for food elsewhere in the body which is usually the muscles. When the muscle breaks down, this leads to body weakness and residents find it hard to recover properly. Therefore, it is important to help the body by having a high energy and high protein diet during gastro. You may return to your regular diet after recovering from gastro.
How can a Dietitian help Residents with Gastro?
If a resident is unwell, a Dietitian can assist in developing a tailored high energy and high protein diet to help gain back strength. Dietitians may also identify food risks and hazards, and educate chefs and food service staff on food safety handling and food storage.
Reach out to our Team.
Top Dietitian tips for Residents while they have gastro
Vomiting and diarrhoea can lead to serious fluid losses, keep hydrated with fluids such as water, soups and electrolytes
Limit caffeinated beverages as this can cause diarrhoea in some people, such as coffee, tea and some soft drink
Eat bland foods such as banana, biscuits, bread, rice or potato to assist with nausea
Limit foods that are high in fat such as takeaway foods, pizza, pastries, fried foods
Limit dairy products such as cheese, milk, yoghurt
Top Dietitian tips for Residents in the following days after gastro
Eat a wide range of vegetables, fruits and wholegrain breads, cereals and pastas to help promote good bacteria for a healthy gut
Spend some time in the sun, vitamin D from the sun has shown to play a role in improving immune function
Practice gentle exercises such as yoga to help gain back muscles and further develop strength
Minimise, prevent or avoid gastro outbreaks with infection control and proper food safety measures
Aged Care Residents, staff, and visitors must apply excellent hygiene practices which includes:
proper hand washing techniques before eating and after going to the bathroom; using liquid soap and hot water, washing hands for at least 20 seconds between fingers and palms,
use alcohol-based hand rubs,
wearing face masks, gloves and gowns when visiting ill residents and to change wear when visiting each resident,
isolating affected residents and,
practising food safety handling and proper food storage techniques; keeping kitchen surfaces and equipment clean, and keeping high-risk foods out of the temperature danger zone.
We’re here to support you
Gastro outbreaks are a common incidence in aged care facilities. Elderly residents are at a higher risk of being infected as they have a weakened immune system, and poor management of the outbreaks can lead to more serious conditions.
During an episode, it is crucial for residents to recover quickly by staying hydrated and having nourishing foods to fight off the infection. Certain foods however may cause worse symptoms, such as caffeine, fatty foods, and dairy products. These foods are to be limited during a gastro and can be resumed after.
To minimise the chance of an outbreak, safety protocols for infection controls are important such as proper hand washing techniques and ensuring good food handling and storage is practiced. Reach out to an OSCAR Care Group Dietitian Accredited Practising Dietitian for support.