ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to meet the opinions of NHs' residents about the meals quality and nutrition system, with special consideration of meal ambience in canteens (appearance, atmosphere, etc.). Besides, other information about residents was collected: their self-perceived health status, psychical condition, physical activity, appetite and nutritional habits. Most of the subjects were single women, mainly with medium/technical education level, living in NHs over 3 years. Most of the NHs' residents evaluated their health status as average or bad, independently of the age or gender. Every second person indicated that health, loneliness and the feeling of isolation in their homes were the main reasons for coming to NH. Every third person still felt the loneliness or depression after staying in NH. The physical and intellectual activity of elderly depended on self-perceived health status. Over half of the subjects assessed their appetite as good, and said that their body mass was stable during staying in NH. The statistically significant relationship was found between the self-evaluated weight change and both age and gender. Additionally, the relationship was observed between psychical condition of residents and their appetite as also between the psychical condition and weight change during living in NH. The majority of the subjects (85%) said that they liked the canteen appearance, and they did not want to change anything in it. More women than men thought that canteens were spacious, clean and furnished with good taste, and those differences were significant. Part of studied population (25%) had some reservations about the atmosphere in canteen during the meals, mostly because of too much noise. In the opinions of most of the residents (over 80%) the nutrition organisation in NHs was good. Over half of the subjects assessed the meals quality in NHs also as good. Only some comments were about insufficient quantities of fruits and vegetables and meal monotony.
