Dietitians from the Southern Health and Social Care Trust's Hospital at Home team appear in the February edition of the British Dietetics Association's Dietetics Today journal. The piece details their contributions to care for acutely unwell patients over age 65.

The service began as a pilot in 2014, the initial such program in Northern Ireland. It admits patients into their own homes, nursing homes, or residential homes. A multidisciplinary team led by a consultant geriatrician includes doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals.

In the past year, the team managed 3,780 patients, reaching up to 60 daily. These individuals would have needed hospital inpatient treatment. The three dietitians, Stephanie McCann, Cúshla Kelly, and Louise Sharpe, work within a team of 150.

The journal coverage addresses nutritional support to counter risks like malnutrition, dehydration, and frailty among older patients. The dietitians underline the benefits of home-based treatment for recovery and holistic care over hospital wards.

They describe community care as a specialized opportunity that minimizes patient stress, infections, delirium, and muscle weakening. The approach supports improved quality of life and eases pressure on acute hospital beds.