SENIOR CITIZENS & SENSES

CLAN (Comite de Liaison Alimentation et Nutrition) CLAN (Comite de Liaison Alimentation et Nutrition) which means the liaison committee for food and nutrition. CLAN came into being in healthcare establishments (hospitals, clinics) about fifteen years ago. A CLAN is a commission that brings together different professionals of the healthcare establishment (doctors, care-givers, dieticians, cooks…) to stimulate reflection and to propose action to improve the nutritional management of patients and the quality of the meals proposed. Such establishments are not obliged to create CLANs, but it is recommended.
In hospitals, CLANs can help make care-givers aware of screening for malnutrition and good practices with regard to nutritional support in patients. As an example, every year, the CLAN of Lille CHRU organises «Balance Day» or «Scales Day», in English to make care-givers aware of the need to systematically weigh patients during the first 48 hours of any hospital stay (Buhl et al, 2014, JFN). The CLAN of Nantes CHU has developed a guide for Nutritional Support in adults and organises training sessions to make the healthcare personnel aware of the importance of food in the care process and the need for nutritional surveillance. Finally, at Dijon CHU, the ‘Restauration’ working group, which brings together cooks, dieticians, researchers, accommodation managers and doctors, was created under the auspices of the CLAN to better take account of the nutritional needs of each patient while respecting as much as possible their food habits and preferences.
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