Department of Health
  • Sense of occasion
  • Active policy to make meals pleasant and enjoyable
  • Home-like environment without institutional practices
  • Individual food and social preferences met
  • Individual eating and nutritional issues addressed
  • Cultural differences in eating and mealtimes satisfied
  • Verbal cues to encourage eating and keep independence
  • Praise for appropriate mealtime responses
  • Mealtime social interaction encouraged
  • Opportunities for involvement in growing or buying food
  • Opportunities to help in food preparation
  • Opportunities to help with clearing and washing up
  • Past eating experiences taken into account
  • Changing needs accepted and met
  • Personalised kitchen to encourage ‘ownership’ of the area
  • Small decentralised dining areas, next to kitchens
  • Well-lit dining areas
  • Minimal noise and distraction
  • Colour and colour contrasts in décor to encourage eating and interaction
  • Flexible use of furniture for people’s changing needsVisible toilet close to dining area, and easy to get to
  • Dining areas with view of outdoor areas

For those with eating difficulties

  • Verbal cues to prompt eating
  • One course served at a time to encourage focus
  • Reminders to swallow
  • Finger food that does not need utensils

Reviewed 18 February 2016

Health.vic

Was this page helpful?