Neel Radia, National Chair of the National Association of Care Catering (NACC), explains why nutrition must be a central focus in care settings—not only to support health, but also to enhance quality of life and happiness.
Everyone knows that good nutrition and hydration is the way to healthy life! Be it in a care home or living at home, we all need the balance of nutrition to remain as well as we can be, with additional considerations if we are unwell or undernourished. Residents losing weight may lack energy and zest for life. It is essential that every dining experience needs to encourage the resident to dine well, fighting against the threats of malnutrition and poor hydration.
Sound nutrition is essential for residents in helping to support physical health by strengthening immunity, muscle, and bone health. It also boosts cognitive function, mood, and energy levels, reducing fatigue and enhancing social interaction, improving both physical and mental well-being for our residents.
Malnutrition and not delivering right balanced diet can lead to decreased quality of life of residents. This may cause health problems and wellbeing problems. The right diet improves resident’s abilities to stay more active and to enjoy life.
Providing high quality, nutritious meals – The challenges
Successful menu planning doesn’t come about by chance, it is a skill that needs to be learnt. Currently there is a lack of tools to help the Care Caterer, but help is now at hand with the British Dietetic Association’s (BDA) Care Home Digest. Chefs also need to have a reasonable understanding nutrition in its broadest sense.
As a major addition to available training, later this year the NACC will be launching a Level 2 qualification with the Hospital Caterers Association that will aim to provide a continuous training pathway covering cooking, baking, nutrition, dining experience, special dietary requirements.
Costs are also an issue. Ever rising inflation is affecting everyone, so a creative approach to menus will always help costs, cooking from scratch saves money if recipes are well planned, utilising plant-based ingredients within some composite dishes such as shepherd’s pie with MTP, using lesser-known fish, alternative meat cuts, seasonal fruit and vegetables, use of vegetable excess leaves and peels in soups. The cost of food in some establishments is less than £5 per resident day in some homes. We need to respect the value of good nutrition and hydration in the care sector and budget more for food and drinks for our residents.
The role food plays in enhancing social interaction and overall wellbeing in care.
Food plays a vital role for residents, helping them to socialise. A well-structured and supported dining experience will be one of the main part of residents’ social life. It should not be rushed.
Bringing residents together during mealtimes can create a sense of community within the home for residents and staff members alike. Activities based around food encourage interaction and conversation. Carers assisting with meals in residents’ rooms also provide opportunities for social interaction, ensuring residents feel supported and connected even when they can’t join group settings.
The same can be said about staff working in the establishment, they too need to be encouraged to enjoy a healthy balanced diet and to be made to feel part of the total picture.
How to elevate the importance of nutrition in care
Whatever the policy is adopted, it should be based upon the Care Home Digest which underpins nutrition in care.
Some Good Practice tips:
Box out
- Get buy in from the top and keep them informed. Change happens when the leaders are engaged. Good nutrition saves money and improves quality of life.
- Train the Catering team and care leaders in nutrition – you can’t elevate nutritional care without knowing what good nutrition is.
- Link KPIs to nutrition, this also helps with CQC visits!
- Get to know fresh ingredient suppliers and what they can do to help raise nutrition awareness!
- Taste test and encourage nutritionally dense recipes.
- Provide a visual menu at each service.
- Hold food-based events to raise awareness for everyone.
- Break the biscuit routine with savoury snacks and a cheese board with afternoon tea.
- Educate staff on the importance of hydration and its benefits.
- Ensure that hydration is always available throughout.
