A nutritious and well-balanced diet plays a very important role in care homes, helping to improve the health and well-being of residents. Tailoring the menu to meet their preferences and dietary requirements creates a home away from home, where residents can enjoy the things they love while still receiving the nutrition they need for their age and health condition.
With this in mind, a new accreditation has been introduced specifically for the care home sector, so they have the opportunity to showcase the dining experience they provide to their residents based on specific criteria they need to fulfil. Read on to find out more about this innovative and important new accreditation.
What is this new accreditation?
This new Choice Dining accreditation is designed to give those seeking care for their loved ones easy access to research, and compare the dining offerings at different care home settings so they can make an informed decision.
Launched by elderly care directory Autumna with the support of the Choice Dining Action team, this accreditation consists of different criteria that a care home must meet to be awarded the Choice Dining badge.
According to Autumna’s founder, Debbie Harris: “The dining experience is a critical component of any care service and our CHOICE rating offers people even more assurance when deciding on the right type of care provision.”
How does a care home acquire one?
To be awarded this accreditation, a care home must be able to evidence their commitment to delivering the highest quality dining experience for their residents. For this, they must meet the requirements of the following CHOICE criteria:
- Cuisine: preparation, nutritional value and presentation of food
- Hygiene: hand hygiene of residents and staff
- Options: freedom and flexibility for residents to choose the food they would like, with the ability to order food not on the menu
- Individuality: getting residents involved in the creation of the menu where possible and tailoring the food to meet their cultural, religious and dietary wants
- Care: delivering a respectful and quality service that promotes an inclusive dining experience
- Environment: being environmentally and socially responsible, e.g. using locally sourced ingredients
To be eligible for this accreditation, care homes must be able to show that they can meet the standards listed above, and must have a premium profile on Autumna. Further details can be viewed by clicking here and the Choice Dining checklist also provides a breakdown.
What are the benefits of this accreditation?
It goes without saying that listening to the food preferences of older people and providing them with appetising meals goes a long way to enhancing their stay at a care home. People attribute emotions, feelings and memories with different kinds of food, and this can be important for those living with dementia as it allows them to reminisce and share stories.
With this new accreditation, care homes are able to display their high standards towards food and hygiene, and promote their dignity in care through their dining offerings. Not only that, but the badge also gives the loved ones of older people everything they need to know about the food a care home offers, how it is served to residents, the steps they take to cater for personal taste and much more.
At Bondcare, our talented chefs are committed to providing the best dining experience for residents at our care homes across the UK. With access to modern facilities and fresh produce, our teams pay close attention to the individual needs of each resident to create appetising dishes and enhance social interaction. To find out more about dining at Bondcare or to book a visit at one of our care homes, contact us today.
