Resources

A fact sheet for aged care residents explaining how enjoyable dining experiences can be created by working with care teams. This fact sheet also outlines considerations for care teams when planning dining experiences and how these align to the Aged Care Quality Standards.

A fact sheet outlining older people's rights when it comes to making choices food and drink, including how care teams can support informed decision-making about food or drink.

This freely accessible online program provided by the Maggie Beer Foundation aims to educate and train aged care staff and providers in creating and supplying nutritious and appetising meals to residents. They also provide other tools such as food satisfaction questionnaires to evaluate the meal service and membership of a professional community.

This document from the Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing provides guidelines on the symbolic representation of food in some cultures, the relationship between nutrition and some cultures and religions, appropriate utensils, key considerations when catering for various cultures and a link to nutritious recipes from over 30 different countries.

This freely accessible recorded webinar from the Older Persons Advocacy Network discusses with a panel of people from varying organisations and government departments, what older adults can expect from service providers in dining experiences and how to give effective feedback. 57 min

This webinar hosted by Dementia Training Australia discusses how to create dining spaces which can be accessed by residents with dementia, and that mimic dining experiences found in the community including outdoor spaces, cafés, dining tables for larger meals and coffee tables for snacks. 45 min

This webpage provided by Meals on Wheels Australia has a mix of 30 savoury and sweet meals which adhere to the national meal guidelines for older adults to cook independently.

This blog post by Nutrition Professionals Australia explains 4 techniques for cooks in aged care settings to present texture modified foods in an appetising way: contrast, layering, adding height and shape.

This free, self-paced online training module by the Maggie Beer Foundation explains how to maximise flavour and aroma in meals through different cooking techniques, how taste and smell can decrease with age and emphasises the importance of saliva in eating enjoyment, with ongoing access to recipes and a certificate on completion.

This free, self-paced online training module by the Maggie Beer Foundation explains how to promote independence and social interaction, the importance of enjoyable mealtimes for resident's health and how to use observational skills to make tailored positive dining experiences for each resident, with a certificate awarded on completion.