Abstract
Background and Objectives: While there is growing evidence that mealtime practices, such as dining environment manipulations, feeding assistance, and more flexibility in serving meals can provide improvement in food and nutritional intake and weight status, there is little information about how widespread the implementation of these strategies is in residential care settings. The aim of this study was to describe the current food service practices in residential care facilities across Australia with specific dementia focus.
Methods: An online web-based survey was distributed to residential aged care facilities across Australia (n=2,057). The responses from facilities self-identifying as dementia specific were compared with facilities that did not. Chi squared test was used to assess for differences in practices in food services provision between the groups.
Results: Of the 204 responses to the survey, 63 (31%) indicated that their facility was dementia specific. A higher proportion of dementia specific facilities indicated residents made food choices at meal time (n=16, 25.4%), compared to non-specific facilities (n=19, 13.5%), although this did not reach statistical significance (p=0.059). There were no significant differences between the groups for the method of distributing food to residents, or flexibility in times meals were offered. Dementia specific facilities were more likely to indicate use of high contrast plates (n=25, 40%) compared to non-dementia specific facilities (n=26, 18% p=0.002), although there was little difference in the use of other techniques to improve meals and dining for residents.
Conclusions/Perspectives: These results indicate relatively similar practice in food service provision between dementia specific and other facilities in Australia. There is a need for health professionals to support the translation of current research on the best ways to support food intake in the residential care setting for people with dementia into practice.
Methods: An online web-based survey was distributed to residential aged care facilities across Australia (n=2,057). The responses from facilities self-identifying as dementia specific were compared with facilities that did not. Chi squared test was used to assess for differences in practices in food services provision between the groups.
Results: Of the 204 responses to the survey, 63 (31%) indicated that their facility was dementia specific. A higher proportion of dementia specific facilities indicated residents made food choices at meal time (n=16, 25.4%), compared to non-specific facilities (n=19, 13.5%), although this did not reach statistical significance (p=0.059). There were no significant differences between the groups for the method of distributing food to residents, or flexibility in times meals were offered. Dementia specific facilities were more likely to indicate use of high contrast plates (n=25, 40%) compared to non-dementia specific facilities (n=26, 18% p=0.002), although there was little difference in the use of other techniques to improve meals and dining for residents.
Conclusions/Perspectives: These results indicate relatively similar practice in food service provision between dementia specific and other facilities in Australia. There is a need for health professionals to support the translation of current research on the best ways to support food intake in the residential care setting for people with dementia into practice.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 160 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2016 |
| Event | 31st International Conference of Alzheimer's Disease International Dementia: Global Perspectives - Local Solutions - Duration: 21 Apr 2016 → … |
Conference
| Conference | 31st International Conference of Alzheimer's Disease International Dementia: Global Perspectives - Local Solutions |
|---|---|
| Period | 21/04/16 → … |
Keywords
- Dementia
- Aged care
- Malnutrition
