Care training directory
At a glance 3: Nutritional care and older people
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Basic awareness for all front line staff in all health and social care environments, (residential, domiciliary, nursing and community), including personal assistants and volunteers,
Note: This resource has not been updated since June 2009. It may not reflect current policy but still provides valuable practice guidance.
“This At a Glance” summary examines nutritional care in relation to older people. As part of its Nutrition Action Plan, the Department of Health has asked SCIE to provide guidance on nutrition for the social care sector. SCIE’s Dignity in Care guide has been expanded to cover this information in a section on Nutritional care. The main points of this section are included here.
For social care staff, only a basic knowledge of nutritional care is necessary in order to tackle malnutrition in older people. Most importantly, we need to ensure that older people are routinely screened and have access to a choice of food that:
- is adequate in amount and of good quality
- is well prepared in a safe environment
- meets any specific dietary, cultural and religious requirements
- is provided in an environment conducive to eating.
