Wimmera Health Care Group

Wimmera Health Care Group - Main Article

Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image Home Page Image
Caring for the Wimmera and Southern Mallee Region of Victoria

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS EMOTIONAL CONNECTION TO FOOD
Renowned cook Maggie Beer has a passion for food but she also has a passion for nursing homes and she recently shared her thoughts with Wimmera Health Care Group’s food services manager Stephen Hill.

Mr Hill attended the Maggie Beer Foundation’s ‘Creating Appetite for Life’ education program in Sydney in March. Mr Hill said he was one of 30 participates who attended the program aimed at transforming the way aged care facilities looked at food for residents.
Mr Hill said Maggie Beer’s passion for food was infectious and her insights into food in aged care were something the Wimmera Health Care Group were taking seriously.
“Maggie talked a lot about people’s connection to food and how important that can be in someone’s later years,” Mr Hill said.
“A lot of people in residential aged care have lost a lot, whether that is mobility, independence in general, or relationships, but one thing they often still have is food and it can be a strong connection.
“We want people to be able to enjoy that connection in residential aged care so we need to look at the smells, the texture and the flavours. Often in aged care the food can be a bit bland or the texture is quite pureed but maybe it doesn’t have to be that way all the time.”
Mr Hill said the program looked at a range of aspects such as budgets, the dining experience, nutrition, digestive health as well as hands on experience cooking a range of recipes.
Mr Hill said Wimmera Health Care Group is taking the lessons learned into consideration across the three residential aged care sites, Kurrajong Lodge, Dimboola Nursing Home and in particular with the Wimmera Nursing Home with the upgrade soon to commence.

Printer Friendly PDF