At the start of the day, guests were given a pair of glasses to replicate visual impairments common among elderly people and welcomed into a drab dining room. Later in the day, guests were taken back to a transformed care setting with fresh flowers, a colourful backdrop, new crockery and aromas of freshly brewed coffee to highlight how the care setting can enhance the dining experience.
A session led by Sylvie Silver, executive director of NAPA (National Association for Providers of Activities for Older People), highlighted the importance of mealtimes as an activity and how these can be improved for residents.
Silver, said: “Mealtimes aren’t just about nutrition, they’re key social occasions too. And like any meaningful activity, care needs to be taken to ensure individual needs are taken into account. And that all starts with seeing things from their point of view.”
Guests were also given a masterclass in care cooking, which focused on how stronger taste, fortification and ‘grazing’ snacks can be used to help boost nutrition in elderly residents.