New Patient Intake

Long-Term Care Facility

To increase the quality of life for long term care residents by enhancing the macronutrient and micronutrient composition of meals and snacks to help manage and prevent clinical complications of medical conditions such as diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease (stage I-V), congestive heart failure, hypertension, unintentional weight loss, pressure wounds and more. To increase meal satisfaction, increasing oral intake and acceptance at mealtime, improving quality of life and resulting in reduced food waste and costs.

Examples of positive outcomes experienced by residents with specific medical conditions (i.e. diabetes, etc.).

  • Consistent carbohydrate diets have helped residents lower their blood sugar level and helped prevent their diabetes from progressing. 
  • Liberalizing diets when deemed appropriate by RD can improve quality of life, meal satisfaction, improve intakes, prevent weight loss and reduce food waste. 
  • Renal diets limiting potassium, phosphorus, and sodium as deemed appropriate by the RD can help lower blood potassium and phosphorus levels, decreasing the risk for arrhythmia and myocardial infarction.
  • Providing meals with high fiber foods such as fruits and vegetables can help stabilize blood sugar levels in residents who have diabetes. 
  • Offering balanced snacks can lower the glycemic load, limiting blood sugar spikes between meals. 
  • Low sodium options can help to reduce edema in residents with congestive heart failure and help manage fluid retention for residents with CKD.
  • Meals high in sources of protein, Vitamin C and Zinc can help promote wound healing in residents with pressure wounds. 
  • Offering foods high in iron can help prevent and treat iron-deficiency anemia in residents

Examples of benefits to overall health and satisfaction of residents in regards to food availability and palatability (Snack and meal options).

 

  • Having snacks available on units and offered by snack cart rounds can help increase resident intakes and prevent unintentional weight loss. 
  • Delivering meal trays within an appropriate amount of time can ensure meals are served at a palatable temperature improving meal satisfaction and intake.

Examples of decreased food waste resulting in cost effectiveness of the program

  • Regularly obtaining and updating food preferences for residents can help improve intakes at meals and reduce food waste and costs.
  • Holding resident menu meetings to include residents in menu options served can help improve satisfaction and reduce food waste and costs.

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