Nutrition in Long-Term Care

December 2007- At the 2007 annual meeting of Concerned Friends, presentations were made by two registered dietitians who work in the long-term care system.

Mary Fitzpatrick, a registered dietitian with Fitzpatrick & Rosen Consulting Dietitians in London, Ontario, discussed ways that some long-term care homes are providing nutrition, hydration and pleasurable dining for residents.
“Coming to the dining room should be fun because it's a social event. This is also the resident's chance to interact with the team,” Ms. Fitzpatrick said.
Ideally, dietitians work with other team members in the facility to ensure each residents' health, safety, comfort, rights, autonomy, independence, decision-making and well-being. Some of the parameters to be considered are:
• previous eating patterns
• significant weight changes
• hydration status
• changes in appetite
• difficulties chewing/swallowing
• bowel and bladder function
• skin integrity
• diseases which may require special diets
• medications
• requirement for dining assistance
• feelings and needs for other nutrition support

Residents should be given the opportunity for choice and decision-making in the dining program. They are to be consulted in planning times of meal service, and may choose foods and portion sizes. They should be encouraged to let team members know if anything can be done to improve their nutrition, hydration, or dining experience.
Nutrition and hydration must be monitored, evaluated, and improvements made as required on a regular basis, Ms. Fitzpatrick concluded.

Karen Thompson, Food Manager for the City of Toronto Homes for the Aged, discussed changes to Canada 's Food Guide which was updated this year.
“The trend is that more food is to be provided,” Ms. Thompson said.
For the first time, Canada 's Food Guide advises that people of all ages eat more servings of vegetables and fruits than grains.
Also for the first time, it recommends that everyone over the age of 50 should take a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 IU.

For more on Canada 's Food Guide, visit www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide or Health Canada Publications at 1 866 225-0709.

Best Practices for Nutrition, Food Service and Dining in Long-Term Care Homes (from the Ontario Long Term Care Action Group and the Gerontology Network of Dietitians of Canada)

The Program recognizes that quality nutrition and hydration care, food service and pleasurable dining enhance the “quality of life” and the “quality of care” for residents living in a LTC Home.

• The Program embraces a holistic approach, recognizing that food, beverages and pleasurable dining influence residents' psychological and social well-being as well as their physical well being.

• The Program recognizes that the ability to feed one's self is a basic component of an individual's feeling of self-worth and autonomy and focuses on maintaining, supporting and/or regaining residents' self-feeding skills.

• The Program uses an interdisciplinary team approach to support residents' health and well being.

• The Program uses an interdisciplinary team approach to support residents' health and well being.

For more information, visit http://www.dietitians.ca/resources/resourcesearch.asp?fn=view&contentid=9604

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