Bill > S2499

This bill establishes a commission on malnutrition prevention among older adults within the department of elder affairs, which will be chaired by the secretary of elder affairs or their designee and include various other state officials, healthcare professionals, and representatives from relevant organizations. The commission's primary role is to conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of malnutrition on older adults, including its effects on healthcare costs, quality of life, and health outcomes, and to investigate and recommend effective strategies for its prevention and reduction. These strategies will encompass improving data collection to identify malnutrition risks, assessing malnutrition incidence across different care settings, developing public awareness campaigns, identifying evidence-based interventions like community nutrition programs and medical nutrition therapy, and examining ways to disseminate these interventions while addressing any barriers. The commission is mandated to file an annual report detailing its activities, findings, and recommendations to specific legislative committees by December 31st.