Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
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The increasing size and longevity of the geriatric patient population dictates that all health care practitioners become more cognizant of the unique requirements for nutritional assessment and support of the elderly. This review summarizes recent advances in the understanding of the nutrition support needs of the old and oldest-old patients requiring enteral or parenteral feeding. ⋯ Indications for choosing enteral or parenteral feeding are considered excessively invasive by some and necessarily "heroic" by others. The patient and his or her family should be part of the decision-making process.