Australia’s Maggie Beer Foundation Brings Training to Care Homes to Improve Food

Ace Food Desk – In short: Celebrity Cook Maggie Beer’s foundation is training staff at aged care homes across Australia to improve the quality of living for residents through food. Residents have welcomed the changes and enjoyed other flow-on benefits.

@acenewsservices

What’s next?

New quality standards for food and nutrition in aged care come into effect next year.

A program being rolled out in 120 aged care homes across Australia aims to improve the quality of life for the elderly by making every meal nutritious, tasty, and a feast for the eyes.

South Australian aged care resident Christine Miles said the most important part of life was good food.

She recently moved into care at Boandik’s St Mary’s aged care facility in Mount Gambier, where she described the food as “adequate”.

“Some of the meals at lunchtime are confusing to me, and evening meals also can be very confusing,” she said.

But Boandik team members have spent five days with chefs from the Maggie Beer Foundation learning how to improve the nutritional value, presentation and taste of the meals they served.

Boandik resident Christing Miles gives her feedback during the food forum. (Supplied: Boandik)normal

Inspired by Maggie

Boandik is the first aged care provider in SA’s South East to take part in the Maggie Beer Foundation Trainer Mentor Program.

Senior trainer Michael Nam said about 60 per cent of homes in the program were located regionally.

He said the changes have been well-received, and had flow-on benefits.

“People that are at most risk of malnutrition, their weight has either stabilised or they’ve gained weight through this program,” he said.

Maggie Beer has been working with aged care homes to improve food offerings. (Supplied: Megan Lewis)normal

Mr Nam said Maggie Beer’s Big Mission TV series, hosted by the celebrity chef, showed the difference food could make in the lives of residents.

“Chefs felt really vindicated and actually felt like a lot more people understood the battles and the effort they go to get food out,” he said.

Ms Miles watched the series and said she saw many things that could be implemented.

“One of the main things was the chefs talking to the carers that serve the meal so that the carers know exactly what they’re serving,” she said.

Lorna Kilsby has lived at Boandik for about 20 months. (ABC South East SA: Josh Brine)normal

Fellow resident Lorna Kilsby said she was intrigued by some of Ms Beer’s ideas, but admitted she might not be the best judge.

“I haven’t got much tastebuds, so if I smile it must look alright,” she said.

“Quite often I can’t tell the difference between a curry and a custard.”

Maggie Beer Foundation trainers Michael Nam and Matt Roman with Boandik head chef Peter Coleman. (ABC South East SA: Josh Brine)normal

A changing landscape

Boandik head chef Peter Coleman said the program would also benefit residents with dietary needs including those with difficulty swallowing.

“Some things are easy to make [pureed], and some things are really difficult to make it like that,” he said.

“It’s great to have a whole lot of resources that show how we can get people to have an almost normal diet and experience almost the same flavours.”

Trainers from the Maggie Beer Foundation work with staff at Boandik St Mary’s on new meals. (Supplied: Boandik)normal

Mr Coleman said there were also changes in taste as residents’ demographics changed.

“People are now coming into this and they’re expecting a different thing from what people in the 50s were eating,” he said.

“I want to make sure food is really good by the time I’m ready to be in an aged care facility.”

The new quality standards will be adopted next July in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Mr Nam said the program aimed to get kitchens ready for the change.

“The real magic though of the program is to leave in 12 months and everything that we’ve done has just become normal practice,” he said.

At Sterling Publishing & Media Service Agency, we value transparency and accountability. We want to inform you that we are not responsible for any external content, links, or posts. Nonetheless, we are dedicated to providing exceptional services and sincerely appreciate your support. Thank you.

@acenewsservices