Enjoyable Mealtimes

Your Questions Answered: “How can I ensure mealtimes are an enjoyable experience for all residents?”

Answer: One thing that is common to us all, is that we need to be nourished through food and drink during the day. Even when that experience changes (such as needing pureed food or needing assistance), for many of us mealtimes are still an important feature of our day.

This presents care home teams with a great opportunity to join together in making mealtimes an enjoyable, meaningful experience. The first thing is to consider the dining environment. Is it clean, fresh and inviting? Is the decor appropriately bright and stimulating? Are there sufficient tables with space around them for people to get in and out without difficulties? Are tables attractively decorated with condiments and cutlery laid out? Is there a choice of different dining locations – dining room, own room, lounge area, small quiet areas etc?

Then consider the social aspect – how do activity coordinators and other staff support the mealtime experience? Do staff members chat with residents before the meals are served? Are conversations about day-to-day events, rather than just questions relating to the serving of food? Are people grouped with people who are cognitively similar to ease their ability to communicate at the same level? Is there someone to stimulate conversation between residents so that the room doesn’t fall silent? Are copies of the Daily Sparkle available for people to read? This is a great ‘filler’ resource for those who don’t want to chat, but would like something to do while waiting for the meal to be served.

It’s also worth looking at how residents can be involved. Do we provide opportunities for people to help themselves (if able)? Many of them would especially like to be able to serve themselves portions at a size they feel is manageable, often this is less than we would expect! Can people pour their own gravy and sauces? Can they put their own milk and sugar in their tea? Can they select a dessert from a serving bowl, a tray or platter? All of these provide opportunities for people to exercise choice and control – something that is often lost in care settings.

What about those who are dining in their own room? How do we create a good dining experience for them? Colourful place mats and a vase of flowers can make a meal tray much more special. Background music, and someone taking the time to spend a few minutes chatting whilst delivering meals, could make it feel less of a lonely experience.

Activity coordinators are always looking for ways to help care staff get involved in everyday activity in the home. This is one everyday task that can be turned in to a meaningful experience with just a little extra thought and planning.

Our incredibly popular Activity Coordinator Training is a one-day course focusing on best practice, session planning, activities ideas, techniques for managing different stages of dementia and confidence in using different resources, as well as building a peer network and sharing ideas and top tips. You can see all future dates and book online.