Björn Viðar Aðalbjörnsson, an employee of Matís and the University of Iceland, recently received a grant from the Student Innovation Fund for two students, but the intention is to explore new ways to improve health, reduce drug costs and increase the quality of life of the elderly.
Nutrition in old age can be problematic and often reduces the appetite of older people. This can lead to malnutrition which has a variety of health problems. Anorexia can cause a lot of weight loss along with fatigue and discomfort. A sign of malnutrition is a low body mass index associated with weight loss. This is a known risk factor for death in the elderly and also increases the risk of accidents due to weakness. Increased appetite and improved well-being of the elderly play a major role in nutritional intake. Nutritional intake is important for patients who are recovering from surgery or accident.
The aim of the project is to shorten hospitalization or presence in hospitals by simply changing the appearance of the food on offer. Shorter attendance at a hospital means a better quality of life for older people and consequently less strain on the health system with associated savings for society.