“Nutrition Matters” News

Food is important throughout the year, but it tends to be one of the main focuses at Christmas time. Everyone looks forward to the Christmas meals! This is the time to get excited about food and stimulate appetites. It’s another time to also think about whether the food restrictions we are placing on our residents, are appropriate or not.
As dietitians working in aged care, we find that many people are unaware of the appropriate foods for people with diabetes living in residential aged care facilities. Read more »

Nutrition Matters Newsletter November 2018
Each person experiences dementia differently and there is no one approach that works for everyone or even per occasion. Residents can experience a loss of connection with recognising food, with how to eat, declining swallowing abilities, taste changes, stress and unsettled behavior, impacting on their nutrition and quality of life.
We all recognise that there are constraints within homes, however there is always more that could be done to provide individualized and person-centred mealtimes for those with dementia. Read more »

Nutrition Matters Newsletter October 2018
With all the media attention and discussion in the aged care industry, we are all aware that improving the look of texture modified meals can go a long way. It can encourage residents to eat more, provide meal enjoyment and dignity and thereby providing benefit from the nutrition it provides. This is where the use of food molds can come in.
Aged care homes have the option of purchasing pre-molded texture modified meals or making it themselves. Read more »

Traditionally, aged care providers have focused on providing quality of care to their residents. The introduction of the Single Quality Framework Draft Aged Care Quality Standards highlights the need to move to a more consumer-directed approach. This means handing back control over everyday decisions to our residents.
How can we continue to modify our current practise to more strongly embrace our residents’ dignity and choices relating to what, where and when they would like to eat? Read more »

There is some evidence to say that older people need 2 – 3 times more salt to even detect it in a tomato soup. Usually, the taste of saltiness and sweetness are first lost, followed by the taste of bitterness and sourness. Several other factors also lead to the decline in taste, such as smoking, poor oral hygiene, dentures and medications. In addition, the decline in saliva production and dehydration that causes dry mouth also affects the sense of taste. Read more »