Clinical Nutrition for Functional Ability and Independent Living in Adults

We are looking to join European research consortia working on solutions that help adults with chronic conditions and older people stay healthy, maintain their physical function and live independently at home. Nutrition has an important role in preventing malnutrition, reducing the risk of frailty and functional decline, and managing obesity and chronic diseases.

I am a physician (MD, PhD) specialising in clinical nutrition, representing the Lithuanian Society of Dietology and VšĮ Medivita. I currently work at a hospital and an outpatient clinic in Vilnius, providing nutrition care for adults of all ages, from younger adults with obesity to older patients with chronic diseases or malnutrition. I also have nearly 20 years of experience in clinical nutrition in oncology at the National Cancer Center of Lithuania, including cancer-related malnutrition and nutritional support during and after cancer treatment.

We can contribute to:

• Malnutrition screening, assessment and prevention for people with frailty, chronic diseases or those recovering from cancer treatment, building on my hospital and outpatient experience and my published work on the prevention and treatment of malnutrition. In a project, this could be extended from hospital to home together with home care partners.

• Nutrition interventions for obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, aimed at preventing complications and loss of independence.

• Combining nutrition and physical activity to help maintain muscle strength and physical function, working together with our physiotherapist.

• Developing training programmes for carers, home care staff and healthcare professionals, drawing on my experience as co-author of a Lithuanian textbook on nutrition care management. In Lithuania, clinical nutrition training is expected to become mandatory for a broad range of healthcare professionals from 2028.

• Developing educational materials for patients and families, and sharing project results in Lithuania through national conferences, patient education and national media (Delfi, Lrytas).

My experience also includes educating patients at the National Cancer Center Patient School and through a patient support project of the Lithuanian Cancer Patient Coalition (POLA).

Medivita works with a multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals, including specialists in internal medicine, oncology, dietetics, nursing and physiotherapy. Together, we can combine medical care, nutrition and physical activity to support independent living.

Possible role: clinical nutrition expert or task leader for nutrition interventions, including malnutrition prevention and management, training carers and healthcare professionals, and involving patients and older people through their organisations.

We are particularly interested in collaborating with universities, research institutions, home and community care providers, who would be key partners for home-based activities, and organisations representing older people, patients and persons with disabilities.