Consuming a nutritious diet for optimal health is important at any age but is particularly important for the elderly to maximise independence and quality of life. As we age our nutritional requirements remain high and it is important to have a balanced diet ideally eating food from each of the five food groups while maintaining...
A resident may require tube feeding, or enteral nutrition, if they are unable to consume their meals orally. This may be due to reasons such as stroke, oral cancers or gastrointestinal complications. They will receive a liquid drink through a tube which passes directly to their stomach or small intestine. A resident may rely solely...
For residents on Soft Texture A diet, many foods can be modified so they are in line with the texture requirements without needing to reduce the balance and variety in their meals. However, there are some foods that are unable to be adequately modified to be compliant with the Soft Texture Diet placing the resident...
Nutritional management of residents undergoing dialysis should be a priority in any aged care facility. Kidney disease affects a large number of Australians, approximately 1.7 million. As kidney disease progresses a number of these people will require dialysis. Dialysis is needed to remove waste from the blood, restore the balance of electrolytes and remove excess fluid when the...
Both speech pathologists and dietitians spend much of their time finding ways to improve or sustain a resident's nutrition and hydration as safely as possible. However there are a large number of clients and residents whose goals do not revolve around maintenance of nutrition and hydration but instead focus on quality of life and comfort....
Commercial nutrition supplements will always have their place in residential aged care facilities to help promote optimal nutritional status in those residents who are managing very little variety in their diet and are unable to maintain their weight through food intake. However, there are strategies your facility can implement to help control costs with no disadvantage to residents.
Huntington’s Disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disease which is currently incurable. At present about 1600 Australians live with this disease. Those with HD have a build-up of the ‘Huntingtin’ protein in their brains. This damages nerve cells in the frontal lobe and basal ganglia, affecting neurological function.
[vc_row css=".vc_custom_1492041470043{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;border-radius: 3px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1492040683458{padding-bottom: 30px !important;}"]Thank you to those of you who attended our Melbourne dysphagia workshop last week, it was a great success. We even discovered some masterchefs amongst the group! Some texture modified delights created on the day included smooth puree chocolate and avocado mousse, strawberry...
In most instances, people are able to manage small amounts of lactose before they experience any symptoms. Unless a person has severe lactose intolerance, eliminating dairy completely is not recommended. Avoidance of dairy can result in an inadequate calcium intake increasing the risk of diseases such as osteoporosis. There are a number of causes of...
Diverticular disease is a condition which affects the large intestine. Diverticulosis occurs when small pouches (diverticula) develop in the lining of the large intestine. Diverticulitis is when these pouches become inflamed or infected. Diverticular disease is most common in people aged over 50 years, with older age and diet being considered the main risk factors. ...
