New Country Range Guide for residents with dementia
Catering for care home residents with dementia has many challenges; they may experience problems with eating and drinking such as being unable to use cutlery, dysphagia (swallowing difficulties), changes in food preferences and eating habits. As a result, they can be at a higher risk of malnutrition and dehydration.
Following the success of the Country Range guide for residents with dysphagia, a new full colour guide has been published to help care home caterers provide nutritious meals for those with dementia. It focuses on finger food or dishes that can be adapted so they don’t need to be eaten with cutlery. There’s also information on how they can be modified for different IDDSI levels. It has been devised in association with Andy Cullum, consultant, known as the ‘IDDSI guy’.
Andy says, “This guide shows how recipes can be modified into a cutlery-free meal – most food can be – all it takes is imagination. For example, a roast beef dinner can become cutlery-free by leaving out the gravy and making sure all the items are bite-sized and able to be picked up.”
The guide shows how to do this by making Yorkshire puddings smaller, mixing eggs into stuffing so it is held together and lightly braising beef strips so both items can be picked up. Andy says, “The only difference between a standard roast beef and ours is the gravy is strained off the meat, but it can still be held, without making hands dirty. We make sure if a food is going to be picked up, it is bound together tightly, so it won’t make a mess if dropped.”
Even curry can be adapted into a cutlery-free meal. Andy says, “The chicken is cut into long strips, floured and seared. We prepare a pot of curry sauce so they can dip the chicken into it. Rice, made into rice bread, and naan bread are cut into fingers which can also be dipped into the sauce. You have to make sure everything is cut small enough so it can be held in the hand.”
Trifle is made in small plastic tubs which residents can walk round with if needed, as some may find it difficult to remain seated for an entire meal. Sponge at the bottom is broken down into breadcrumbs and covered with vegetarian jelly as this doesn’t require a thickener. The next layer is puréed fruit, thickened with semolina and topped with peach coulis. Another dessert recipe is banana milkshake made using leftover banana skins – a great waste-saver in the kitchen.
Find out more
Guidance from the Care Home Digest is included in the guide with QR codes to download the full document. The guide is available through Country Range wholesalers or visit the Country Range website for more information.
