|
Dementia affects people in different ways, but loss of appetite or overeating can be common. We recognise the importance of making sure that all of our residents have a balanced diet and act quickly to prevent a person from getting more ill or confused if they are not getting the nutrients that they need to stay healthy.
We know that being able to enjoy mealtimes with family and friends can be as important as the nutritional value of the meal in ensuring that our residents get as much out of eating as possible and so our dining room doors are always open to relatives wishing to join us for a meal.
Every staff member, including our in-house catering team, undergoes training in caring for people with dementia, to ensure that they understand the importance of good nutrition and the ways to overcome some of the difficulties that a person with dementia might confront at mealtimes.
We encourage our residents to make themselves drinks in our resident-friendly kitchens whenever they want one, or request a snack from the main kitchen at anytime. Those that need assistance at mealtimes are helped to feel involved in the process of drinking or eating by our staff members, who are trained to remain calm, patient and responsive to the wishes of our residents at all times.
From engaging people in a variety of activities throughout the day to help them to work up an appetite and using specialised cutlery and crockery that enables each individual to eat with dignity, to staying abreast of any medical or physical conditions that might require a tailored menu, we seek to make mealtimes as enjoyable as possible.
‘The residents said they liked the meals and that they could choose what to have. The staff knew the likes and dislikes of each resident and they asked about or offered the preferred portion sizes’.
CQC Inspection Report, April 2010
You can download one of our appertising menus from the right-hand panel.
|
