Brakes has partnered with care home experts, including the British Dietetic Association (BDA), to launch a new programme of support for the care home sector. The support provides caterers with the knowledge and skill they need to serve a wide range of nutritionally balanced, appealing and high quality food solutions to meet the catering demands of the unique and complex care home environment.
Food: key part of the ‘care package’
As an increasing number of people are living to an older age, the number of places in residential care homes is forecast to rise from around 450,000 to 1.3 million by 2031. Therefore the commercial pressure to provide a comprehensive care package has never been greater, especially as the market is dominated by private care homes.
Food is a key part of the care package, playing an important part of the daily activity of residents, and often helping to define the perception of the overall quality of care provided when visitors are deciding on the best care home for relatives or friends.
Comprehensive programme of support
The comprehensive programme of support from Brakes includes a new Care Home Food Guide, online support and a free online training programme, developed in partnership with Nestlé Professional, specifically for caterers.
The Brakes Care Home Food Guide has been developed with Brakes team of experienced nutritionists, using insight from industry experts and major care home providers, such as Four Seasons Healthcare, and recognised guidance from the BDA ‘The Nutrition and Hydration Digest: Improving Outcomes through Food and Beverage Services’. The BDA has also officially recognised the guide, providing the foreword.
Customer feedback
Customers who have seen early copies of the guide have also been quick to praise the support, with Christine Hamilton, Executive Head Chef for Four Seasons Healthcare, saying: “I am pleased to see the publication of the Brakes Care Home Food Guide. It’s a useful aid to our chefs, with handy tips and ideas, providing inspiration for care sector caterers.”
Available online
The guide, which is also available online, includes relevant menu cycles and recipes, and offers practical advice on serving food that residents will enjoy but that also provides the nutrients they require, covering many areas including the five major topics directly affecting the dietary requirements of people in long-term healthcare, including; a balanced diet, avoiding malnutrition, dysphagia, diabetes and dementia.
Pureed food
Issues with swallowing become more commonplace with age, and pureed food has become key for many care home residents who experience difficulties with this. Brakes has worked closely with Robot Coupe, a food preparation equipment specialist, to ensure all menu options can be pureed successfully and presented in an appetising manner.
Pureed meals help to maintain resident independence, and can even be presented to look like the un-pureed ingredients, ensuring residents get the nutrients they require in an appetising format and dignity is maintained. Brakes also stocks a range of cutlery and crockery specifically designed to make it easier for residents to feed themselves if they have difficulty with cutting food or perhaps only have the use of one hand.
Online training programme launches January
With a lack of regular or relevant training currently available, despite a need for it, the free online training programme, which launches in January, has been designed to meet the specific requirements of caterers working within the care home sector. The programme offers caterers an easy to follow online training course as part of its commitment to helping customers understand how to provide healthy and nutritious meals that can be easily tailored to meet the specific requirements of individual residents.
To take part in the course, caterers just need to look out for information on www.brake.co.uk, where further details will be available from January. Caterers will then be able to participate in the course in their own time, and on completion all will receive an official certificate.
Brakes provides solutions
Eileen Steinbock, Brakes Head of Health and Nutrition, led the development of the new Care Home support package, and said: “Delivering appetising food, that also meets a wide and complex variety of nutritional requirements, is no easy task but the new programme of support condenses a wealth of expert advice from within the industry, making it as easy as possible for caterers to meet resident needs.
“Whether caterers are preparing meals from scratch or using pre-prepared meals, Brakes can provide solutions that fit the specific requirements different businesses face. One of the key requirements is relevant training, so the free training programme should provide much needed support for caterers currently working within the sector and those just entering. The course is easy to follow and ensures that caterers working within the sector understand how nutritious food can positively affect resident wellbeing.”
Brakes’ Healthcare Sector Manager
To further support Brakes work with the care home sector and oversee the implementation and development of the care home support package on an ongoing basis, Brakes has appointed Angelee Jabble to the role of Healthcare Sector Manager. Formerly Primary Care Manager at BMI Healthcare, Angelee brings a wealth of expertise, insight and experience to the role.