Every single menu for every season, every year requires Dietitian input in Aged Care
Reduce the risk of malnutrition, unplanned weight loss, dehydration, pressure injuries/wounds, falls by having your menu reviewed by our Dietitians. Together, we develop a tasty, nutritious menu tailored to the unique needs of older Australians that is IDDSI compliant too! Careful planning of a menu is essential to enhance the nutritional value of the food supply and above all, to encourage residents to eat.
Get our experts onboard today to assist you with your Aged Care menus!
Advantages of a Aged Care Menu Reviewed or Developed by our Dietitians
We’re the experts in the industry. Reviewing and developing menus is what we do best!
No two menus are the same.
Each menu is reviewed or developed to your home’s individual needs.
Compliant
We ensure your menu is meeting current Aged Care Standards and Nutrition Guidelines.
Aged Care Menu Review Options
Desktop Menu Review
A thorough review is conducted by an Accredited Practising Dietitian to ensure your menu is meeting requirements and adhering to current guidelines. Our team will work with you on recommendations and what changes your menu may require ensuring your menu is nutritionally compliant. We will provide you with your updated menus, a thorough Menu Assessment Report and Certificate of Nutritional Compliance.
Menu & Mealtime Quality Assessments
This is The Gold Standard, onsite assessment and the Dietitian RECOMMENDED option.
This is an onsite visit by an OSCAR Care Group Accredited Practising Dietitian to your Aged Care Home, interviews with relevant staff, an assessment of the menu, observations of the meal service, weighing of sample meal components and a review of documentation relevant to food and nutrition care.
This includes the desktop menu review component as well and uses the Aged Care Quality Standards as the framework.
Did you know... Annual Onsite Menu and Mealtime Quality Assessments will be mandatory in Aged Care soon?
Only having a desktop review (or none at all), or only one menu for all sites will no longer be acceptable and will not meet the Aged Care Standards going forward. Every single site within your organisation will require 1 onsite Menu & Mealtime Quality Assessment every year.
Are you ready for mandatory Menu and Mealtime Quality Assessments?
Tips for a Smooth Menu review
Our Dietitians are here to help you through the process.
1. Plan Ahead
Menu reviews are a lengthy process so don’t leave it to the week before to get it done! Six weeks to one month before the start of the new seasonal menu is the perfect time to engage a Dietitian.
2. Communication
Allow time to speak with the Dietitian when they start the review, chat through any recommendations and provide feedback to any possible changes.
3. Collaboration
Involve everyone in the menu review process. Chefs/cooks, kitchen staff, carers, educators, managers and healthcare personnel. It is also vital to implement feedback from the residents – after all, they are the ones who will be eating the food!
Develop a menu from scratch with a Dietitian
Ideal for newly opened homes or homes who want a fresh start. Our Dietetic team will build a 4 -week cyclic Aged Care menu that is seasonally appropriate and individualised to your home, while meeting nutritional guidelines. We ensure a menu is suitable to all texture modified consistencies, variety, seasons and different menu cycles, while tailoring this to suit your residents’ preferences.