Making mealtimes matter in care homes, 2017

We wanted to understand older people’s experiences of food and drink in residential care homes:

• Are they offered a choice of food and drink?
• Can they help themselves to food and drink throughout the day?
• Are mealtimes seen as a time to socialise?
• Are there opportunities to go out for meals, coffee shops or the pub?
• Are events celebrated and made special by offering different food and drink?
• Are they asked what they like and dislike and does this bring changes to the menus?
• Are they given the opportunity to help with food preparation, cooking and serving?

In July and August 2016 our enter and view volunteers visited the borough’s care homes for older people where they listened to residents, staff and relatives. We also gathered views and experiences through our online survey and general engagement activities. The care homes sent us information about their menus before we visited.

Our summary highlights examples of good practice that care homes could use to make mealtimes matter. If you work in a care home, support people to choose or you, friend or relative live in a care home then our summary may give you some ideas what to look for or suggest to make mealtimes and highlight of the day.

We sent a short report to each care home for their comments and action before preparing an overall report on food and nutrition in care homes across the borough.