Some tips that can help care homes offer wholesome and hygienic meals

StartFragmentAlong with a balance diet, the British Nutrition Foundation suggests that older individuals eat 2 servings of fresh fish per week, one of these should really be oily. Oily fish contains long chain omega-3 fatty acids which can help drive back cardiovascular disease and reduce some of the symptoms of rheumatism.

Those who are more mature believe that it is tougher to absorb Vitamin D via natural light through the skin, therefore it is important their diet is supplemented with food items abundant with Vitamin D such as eggs, oily fish and fortified cereal products. The Department of Health recommends that folks aged 65 and over must take an every day 10 microgram vitamin D health supplement.

Lack of nutrition can be a problem for the elderly, as senses such as smell and taste diminish affecting people’s gratification of food and driving all of them to consume smaller amounts. In spite of this appetite loss, older people still require essential nutrients which can be given by means of smaller meals complemented with nutritious snack foods.

Then again obesity is another issue due to restricted movability as individuals grow older making them exercise significantly less and put on bodyweight which can cause Type two diabetes.

Hygiene when preparing foods are also critical, with a spokesperson in the Nationwide Caterers Association (NCASS), saying: “When you're working inside a care home you deal with the most susceptible people in our society. Regrettably with old age and weakening natural defenses, residents are particularly susceptible to getting food-related ailments.

“That’s the reason why it’s absolutely crucial that employees who handle foods within your care home understand specifically what they are undertaking when it comes to preparing food for residents.”

NCASS has ten tips for care homes to keep residents as healthy as is possible 1. Produce a menu that promotes a balanced diet It’s important for the elderly to eat a nutrient-rich diet in order to get access to proteins, vitamins, minerals, meat, eggs, fish, bread, cereal products and fruit and vegetables. Make sure your menus reflects their dietary needs (but tastes good too!). 2. Offer nutritious snack foods for those who are struggling to cope with sizeable meals A few older people find it difficult to handle larger foods in a single sitting. It’s essential to provide healthy snack foods or smaller sized alternatives to these people to make sure they still get the correct nutrients. 3. Carry out proper levels of certified hygiene training The Health and Social Care Act 2008 declares that anyone employed by a care service supplier will have to get proper training and then prove they always meet professional expectations. An easy way to cover those specifications is to make sure all food-handling staff have been through triple-accredited foods hygiene training (to a minimum of level 2). And you can now do that with NCASStraining.co.uk. 4. Wash the hands correctly and frequently The law is absolutely clear on hand cleaning issues. All personnel must wash his or her hands regularly and in the correct way, by using a sink that’s not the same as the one where food and equipment is cleaned. Alcohol gels are not an option. Ensure that every food handler understands precisely how to clean their hands (you can find recommendations on the NCASS YouTube channel). 5. Keep uncooked and ready-to-eat food items separated Stopping cross-contamination doesn’t need to be a difficult undertaking. Use individual chopping boards, plates, utensils and storing locations for your raw and ready-to-eat foods to stop dangerous bacteria from spreading. 6. Always be very meticulous in checking use-by dates You shouldn't work with foods that’s passed its use-by date, even if it appears or smells like you could. Doing so might put the health of your care residents at risk. Be sure you strictly follow storage instructions too, or the food could go off more quickly, developing a higher risk of food poisoning. 7. Keep fresh produce out of the fridge for the shortest periods possible Keeping high risk food items under refrigeration is extremely important to help slow down the expansion of bacteria and germs. Remove fresh produce from the fridge as late as is possible in the cooking process, to lessen the amount of time it's kept unrefrigerated. 8. Stick to a strict cleaning routine Create and sustain a cleaning timetable that will help you make sure that all areas and equipment are cleaned regularly and to reduce the risk of cross-contamination in your kitchen space. Make sure all staff stick to the schedule and that they adopt a ‘clean-as-you-go’ policy too. 9. Make sure your cleaning products are up to the task It’s crucial that you use the correct cleaning products for each task in hand. Make sure that staff know when to use detergents, disinfectants and sanitisers; they each have their own specific role after all. 10. Say goodbye to dishcloths Dirty cloths are a major cause of cross contamination. Avoid using dish cloths or wiping cloths unless they are disposable or washed regularly in a high temperature wash. If in doubt, stick to disposable paper roll for all cleaning and drying.EndFragment