Cover story – advertising feature
Texture modified meals: making life easier to swallow
Texture modified meals: making life easier
Sophia Cornelius, development dietitian at apetito, discusses the importance of providing a safe and enjoyable mealtime provision for residents living with dysphagia
Swallowing difficulties, also known as dysphagia, are a common condition within a care setting due to the wide range of conditions that can proceed it and the increased likelihood of these developing with age. It is estimated that up to 70 per cent of care home residents live with the condition.
Dysphagia is managed through the modification of foods and fluids, the aim of which is for food to require less or no chewing to get the food to a safe texture. Therefore, it is important for homes to have a suitable dining provision available for those needing a texture modified diet with meals that are tasty, nutritious and, importantly, safe for them to eat. When choosing the most suitable
provision of texture modified meals, elements such as safety and assurance, choice and variety, cost and nutritional value all need to all be considered. If these are factors are not taken into
consideration and food presentation and flavours are poor then residents may be deterred from eating a full portion, which risks a lack of nutritional intake and developing malnutrition. We all know the phrase ‘we eat with
our eyes’ to be true, and this is even more important for those living with dysphagia. When serving a texture modified meal, visual appearance plays an essential role in meal enjoyment and alleviating possible feelings of embarrassment, encouraging residents to eat everything on their plate. Eating is also a social activity, and the
enjoyment of food is enhanced by sharing it with others. Providing well-presented texture modified meals can help residents to dine with dignity and enjoy their mealtimes with other residents, or friends and family that may be visiting. Similarly, having ample choice and
variety for residents requiring a specialist diet helps to reduce the risk of menu fatigue
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and allows them to still enjoy all their favourite flavours and not feel to be ‘missing out’ compared to what others may be eating. At apetito, creating food that both tastes great and provides good nutrition for residents has been our mission from day one. Whatever an individual’s dietary needs, ethnic preference, or taste, it is about offering them something good to eat.
New innovations for world-leading range Expanding on an already extensive range of world-leading specialist nutrition meals, apetito has launched a new and improved range of Level 4 Purée dishes designed to bring joy and dignity back to mealtimes for residents with dysphagia. Maia Fergus-O’Grady, dietitian and senior category executive for specialist nutrition at apetito:
“After listening closely to customer
feedback and preferences, we have made some significant changes to our Purée range to greatly improve our offering for residents. One key refinement has been bringing all our Puréed dishes into the smaller ‘Purée Petite’ portion size that are still packed full of flavour and meet the BDA guidelines for ‘Energy Dense’. “We understand that this smaller portion size is much more manageable for those living with dysphagia and ensures those with smaller appetites are receiving sufficient calories and protein – nutrients which are crucially important as we age. “We know how important mealtimes are for residents in care homes, and so further enhancing the dining experience has been a key focus for us. We have taken the step
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www.thecarehomeenvironment.com October 2024
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