The Refresh Study

What is the REFRESH study?

The REFRESH study aims to test how best to treat malnutrition in older adults (aged over 65 years) living in care homes.

We are looking for 90 care homes who are willing to manage eligible residents using one of the approaches below:

• Oral Nutritional Supplements: Eligible residents will be provided with oral nutrition supplements (ONS).

• Fortified Food: Eligible residents will be provided with fortified food (FF) and drink.

• Usual Care: You will carry on your usual routines for managing malnutrition.  

We are keen to work with larger homes and are aiming to recruit 17 residents per home. Residents aged 65 and over who are living in your care home permanently and at risk of malnutrition will be eligible.

What happens if my care home takes part?

• We will ask you to identify which residents are suitable for the study.
• We will ask you to support our team in recruiting residents by talking to them or their families about the study.
• Your care home will be randomly put into one of the three groups below.
• You will then implement the intervention you are randomised to, as per the training we provide.

What else will I have to do if my care home takes part?

• Work with us to get the study set up in your care home
• Participate in the training we provide
• Support data collection
• We will support you through the process

Benefits of taking part:

• The costs of the study are covered (ONS, ingredients for FF, staff time spent on the study).
• The opportunity to focus on the nutritional care you give to your residents.
• Participating in a nationwide research study which will influence CQC guidance.
• Staff training on nutrition.

Interested?

Please email us at REFRESH.penctu@plymouth.ac.uk or visit our website at https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/penc tu/refresh-trial and complete our form to express your interest.