Grant: Undergraduate: Summer Studentship Award - Institute Community Support

This pilot study investigates a very concrete question: can a nutritional supplement, formulated based on our most up-to-date knowledge of nutrition, help our vulnerable elderly population experience a better and faster rehabilitation when they attend a geriatric day hospital? Participants in this intervention are frail elderly patients attending Geriatric Day Centres. Malnutrition is common in this population. The supplement contains four specific nutrients known to affect muscle health and physical functioning: protein, leucine, vitamin D and omega-3 fats. A group of participants will take this supplement, while another will take a drink with the same amount of calories, however with a different formulation not meant to produce the improvements expected. It is predicted that the participants who consume the nutritional supplement will accelerate their rehabilitation as compared to the other group by developing more muscles, increasing their strength and being more functional. The objectives of this project are to (1) confirm that the intervention is doable, well accepted by participants and that they are able to follow the instructions given to them, and (2) get initial results to begin testing the prediction. Today, Canadians live much longer lives. For these lives to remain fulfilled, it is important to help elderly Canadians maintain their autonomy and quality of life for as long as possible. This project aims to discover if a nutritional supplement could help those who have experienced a medical set-back in going back to a more autonomous lifestyle.