Practice and ethics of enteral feeding in the elderly

Abstract

As the population ages, we are faced with a marked rise in the number of frail elderly, many of who may require nutritional support. The provision of tube feeding in these patients has undergone major changes in the last few decades, particularly with the advent of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy as the preferred method for long-term feeding. A large number of formulae are now commercially available in order to supply the specific nutritional needs of patients. This review will present a comprehensive approach to the subject of enteral feeding in later life and will highlight some of the contentious ethical issues relating to this intervention.