Experts say families can help keep their loved ones from becoming malnourished or dehydrated by getting involved and learning to recognise signs of a problem.

Ensure the best care:

• Visit often. Experts say just having family members present in a nursing home is one of the most effective ways to ensure better care. Some experts advise showing up at different times of day so you can better get a sense of all aspects of your loved one's care. And if you can't be there, find someone else who can - other relatives, the patient's friends or even private nurses or aides.
• Help with meals or other aspects of care when you can.
• Bring food to the nursing home. You know best what your loved one likes to eat.
• Be involved with planning your loved one's care. Attend care planning meetings, where nursing homes outline the steps they will take to care for each resident. Plans should include what will be on a patient's meal plan, how the food will be served and who will assist with each meal.
• Understand the issues that could complicate nutritional care. Loss of appetite and weight loss can be signs of depression or side effects from certain medications. Ask the nursing home to evaluate those issues. If the resident has difficult swallowing or dental problems, ask for a dental or dysphagia exam.
• Monitor your loved one closely for physical changes such as abrupt or prolonged weight loss that could indicate malnutrition or dehydration.
• Make sure the nursing home knows what you know. If you notice a relative losing weight, be sure to point it out, along with any other symptoms.
• Be assertive. If the home's staff does not respond to your concerns, talk to the nursing home manager. If the manager doesn't help, talk to the home's owner. Bring your concern to the home's family council, if it has one.