A client admitted three months ago to a long-term care facility has lost 8 pounds with no changes in health status. Which strategy may help improve caloric intake?

• A. Encourage the client to eat meals in the room.
• B. Take the client to the dining room for all meals.
• C. Provide a high protein supplement 30 minutes before meals.
• D. Ask the unlicensed assistive personnel to feed the client at each meal.

Answer: (B)

Engaging the client in a social dining environment at meals supports appetite and caloric intake. Taking the client to the dining room for all meals creates a consistent routine and social cues that encourage eating, enhances meal pacing, and provides peer and staff support in a normal dining setting. This combination tends to boost intake more effectively than meals eaten alone in the room, where isolation or distractions can dampen appetite.

Giving a high-protein supplement before meals can actually suppress hunger and reduce overall intake, rather than increase it. Having staff feed the client at every meal may ensure intake in the short term but can undermine independence, reduce satisfaction with meals, and isn’t as sustainable or empowering as promoting self-feeding in a communal dining setting.