Compass launches nutritional ‘Dignified Dining' toolkit
Compass Group UK & Ireland's healthcare business has launched a Dignified Dining toolkit to help provide nutritional care for people living with dementia.
Following a successful pilot scheme, the 10 nutritional guidelines which focus on food, service and environment will now be rolled out to more than 60 care homes and hospitals.
Steve Cenci, managing director of Healthcare at Compass Group UK & Ireland, said: "Managing the nutritional intake of individuals living with dementia is an essential part of their care. Our pilot schemes demonstrated the benefits of understanding more about the patient's past, as well as their current condition, in order to provide them with a food offer they wanted and ultimately would eat."
Jeremy Hughes, chief executive at Alzheimer's Society, added: "Initiatives like Dignified Dining, which work creatively to help people with dementia to enjoy food, eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated can play a role in helping people with dementia to remain healthy.
"Most residents in care homes have dementia, so it is important that all staff, from cooks to care workers to managers, have a good understanding of dementia and are aware of the best ways to support people with the condition so they can eat and drink well."
The firm has already raised £50,000 and will continue with its fundraising efforts to support the £151,000 required to fund the research, which will be led by Lindsay Collins, an Alzheimer's Society clinical fellow at the University of Bradford.
It is estimated that around 135 million people will be living with dementia by 2050.
Compass raises £50,000 for the Alzheimer's Society >>
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