Food matters (NToW75)
Background
This project began when the manager of a care home for people with learning difficulties and the relative of a resident (who was also a 'change agent' in the care sector) became concerned about the weight gain of some of the residents. They found that the staff responsible for food in the home had limited knowledge about the principles of healthy eating.
The manager and resident's relative decided to address this by setting up a one-day workshop and several cookery sessions to give the care home staff the help and motivation to replace junk food with healthy whole foods.
The initiative was a success and so they decided to explore whether the model could be passed on to other care homes, including those for older people. This became the 'food matters' project.
Aims/Objectives
The aim of the project was to trial an approach to develop a good food culture in six care homes, including elderly care and care for adults with learning disabilities.
The objectives of the project were to:
- Share the learning throughout the project between the different homes
- Produce a resource pack to help other services interested in changing their own food cultures
- Inspire managers to change their food cultures for the better
- Encourage people in care homes and similar settings to try new types of foods in order to stimulate change
What happened?
Three 'learning ambassadors' were appointed and seven care homes participated in the project (including four for adults with learning difficulties and three for elderly people). Members of a community nursing team also came to the first workshop.
Two workshops took place where information, ideas and experiences were shared. A nutritionist helped organise taster sessions and staff development sessions looking at how to prepare healthy food.
A review of the sessions took place so that further sessions could be planned and a set of resources was collated to form the basis of a resource pack.
Outcomes
The seven care homes examined their food cultures and explored how they could be improved. The food knowledge of all the homes involved was developed.
Feedback from the workshops was very positive with two providers in particular eager to make immediate changes.
At one home for adults with learning difficulties, the residents were very vocal about how much they enjoy their new healthy menus and were keen to join in the cooking. Managers reported that there had been an improvement in the mood and the behaviour of the residents following the introduction of the new menus.
Impact on workforce development and how you can use the learning
The project team found that where care homes already have a good food culture they may be willing and able to share their experiences with others.
They also found that adequate time needs to be given to recruit the homes that will gain the most from this type of project.
The project was helped greatly by the role of the learning ambassadors. The strength of managers sharing knowledge with fellow managers is also incredibly valuable.
Additional materials
NToW75 - Food matters evaluation
NToW75 - Food matters notes from workshop
NToW75 - Food matters useful information on nutrition presentation
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