Unintentional weight loss is a significant and common concern in care home settings and can be an early indicator of malnutrition, deteriorating health, or unmet care needs. Older adults and individuals with complex health conditions are particularly vulnerable, and even small or gradual weight loss can have serious consequences if not identified and managed promptly. 

Weight loss in care home residents is not an inevitable part of ageing and should always be investigated. Causes may be physical, psychological, social, or environmental, including reduced appetite, illness, medication side effects, swallowing difficulties, cognitive impairment, low mood, or difficulties with mealtime support. 

Effective management of weight loss is essential to maintaining residents’ health, dignity, and quality of life. Unaddressed weight loss can lead to increased frailty, loss of muscle strength, higher risk of falls, pressure damage, infections, delayed recovery, and avoidable hospital admissions. 

Care homes have a responsibility to monitor residents’ nutritional status, recognise early signs of weight loss, and take timely, appropriate action. This requires a person-centred approach that respects individual preferences and choices, while involving families and working collaboratively with healthcare professionals such as GPs, dietitians, and speech and language therapists. 

This document outlines the care home’s approach to the identification, prevention, and management of unintentional weight loss, providing guidance for staff to support residents safely and effectively.

Looking for more clinical guidance?

Explore our Managing Diabetes in Care Homes: Guide for Staff: https://fusioncare.co.uk/blog/managing-diabetes-in-care-homes-guide-for-staff

To understand the wider picture, read BAPEN’s overview on the scale of malnutrition in the UK: https://www.bapen.org.uk/malnutrition/introduction-to-malnutrition/what-is-the-scale-of-malnutrition-in-the-uk/