Innovative paper armband helps care workers detect malnutrition in older people

A simple paper armband is helping care workers easily identify if an older person is suffering from malnutrition.

The innovative device has been created by health and social care professionals in Salford, Greater Manchester.

The PaperWeight Armband works by measuring the circumference of a person’s bare upper arm. If it can slide up and down the arm easily, and measures less than 23.5cm, it is likely that Body Mass Index (BMI) is less than 20 kg/m2, which indicates a high risk of malnutrition.

Kirstine Farrer, consultant dietitian at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Malnutrition is a major cause and consequence of poor health and older people are particularly vulnerable.

“It is a condition that frequently goes undiagnosed and untreated, and it can lead to more hospital admissions and re-admissions, longer hospital stays and greater healthcare needs, which means the cost of malnutrition can spiral out of control.

“So what we have done is gone back to basics to help improve diagnosis. Rather than rely on a BMI chart and scales we have stripped it back to another level. It is a simple strip of paper that is an effective, non-medical, non-intrusive tool that can also help cut costs associated with treating the condition.”

Ms Farrer hopes the armband will become a tool that is used by care home staff, nurses in the community, and other social care providers across the country, which she says “will make their working lives easier and ultimately help save lives of elderly patients”.

Once a risk is identified, support and advice can be given, and the early intervention reduces the chances of being admitted to hospital.

Malnutrition affects more than three million people at any one time, according to NHS England Guidance – Commissioning Excellent Nutrition and Hydration.

Around one in three patients admitted to acute care will be malnourished or at risk of becoming so, and 35 per cent of people admitted to care homes will also be affected. In addition, 93 percent of those at risk of or suffering from malnutrition will be living in the community. Older people are the most at risk of being malnourished.

Last year, it was revealed the number of hospital admissions due to malnutrition had shot up by more than a third in the last five years across Greater Manchester – with similar problems across the whole of the UK.

Support workers at Age UK Salford have been piloting the PaperWeight Armband on their home visits along with advice on how to stay healthy with a supporting nutrition booklet, with the results showing that people gained weight, made improvements to their diet and enjoyed eating again.

Chief executive of Age UK Salford, Dave Haynes, said: “There has never been a more urgent need for health care providers and commissioners to act and address the problem of malnutrition. Needless suffering, neglect and inconsistent standards of dignity are unacceptable.

“Malnutrition is a major cause and consequence of poor health and older people are particularly vulnerable, and Age UK Salford is pleased to be pioneering a new way of helping fight malnutrition with the PaperWeight Armband and we want to work with other social care professionals to improve the lives of older people across the country.”

More than 3,000 armbands have already been handed out in the borough and now the PaperWeight Armband is set to be rolled out across the country, with interest from other healthcare providers.

The cost for disease-related malnutrition for health and social care expenditure is more than £13bn according to BAPEN, a charitable association that raises awareness of malnutrition, but improving the identification and treatment of malnutrition is estimated to have the third highest potential to deliver cost savings to the NHS.

The PaperWeight Armband is officially launching this week – marking Nutrition and Hydration Week – March 14-18. For more information log on to www.ageuk.org.uk/salford/paperweight and follow @PArmband.