Communication, creativity makes mealtime a happy time
Friday March 7, 2008 -- Deron Hamel
Creating tasty meals for residents on restrictive diets can be a balancing act for dietary departments in long-term care homes. To overcome these challenges, building solid lines of communication is a must.

As people age, they generally become less physically active. As a result, individuals require higher levels of nutrition to heal wounds and recover from illnesses when they reach their senior years.

Many residents in long-term care homes have restrictions on what they can eat for health reasons. Common diets for residents in long-term care include gluten-free, diabetic and renal.

While residents may be on restricted diets, they’re still entitled to be served food they enjoy.

Judy Phillips, food service supervisor at Muskoka Landing in Huntsville, stresses the importance of communication between dietary staff, nurses and residents to ensure the balance between nutritional care and personal preferences is met.

For example, many residents at the Jarlette Health Services-owned home are on gluten-free diets, which means wheat and other grains must be avoided. As a result, dietary staff must look to other sources, such as rice, to make sure residents on gluten-free diets are getting their required intake of grains and cereals.

The resident and dietician will discuss the resident’s food restriction and together work towards developing menu items the resident will enjoy.

By engaging these people in the process, Phillips says the challenges can be overcome.

Marion Brophy, director of support services at Leisureworld Caregiving Centre, Barrie, says finding the balance between foods a resident needs and the ones they enjoy can be maintained using a little creativity.

Many residents, for instance are on lactose-free diets, which restricts milk products. Since cheese is an item that appears in many of her dishes, and is something most people enjoy, Brophy looks to other resident-favourite foods which can be substituted, such as extra fruit and vegetables.

Adapting meals so everyone eats the same thing works well, she adds. Residents, Brophy notes, don’t feel included when they are given diet-specific foods.

“Everyone wants to eat the same thing.”

— With files from Camille Jensen

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