Food and nutrition are key areas of focus for care homes, both in the early days of welcoming a new resident, and as an ongoing basis for maintaining their health and wellbeing. At Guild Care, we have dedicated and experienced kitchen teams at all three of our care homes, and we pride ourselves on offering healthy, nutritious, and constantly evolving menus.

 

When a new resident joins one of our homes, our chefs sit down with them and their family to discuss an initial meal plan. We want to know everything about their diet – not just their allergies and requirements, but their tastes and preferences too. We want to know what Brenda’s favourite type of cake is, and if Gerald has decided that he doesn’t like strawberries anymore.

 

At Guild Care, we always put residents first. They sit at the heart of everything that we do, and this person-centred approach to care comes through in our menus. We tailor everything to the resident’s wants and needs and welcome all feedback.

 

Food is such a fundamental part of life in a care home, and we love using it to celebrate special events. Whether that is personalised birthday cakes prepared by our in-house bakers, or the creation of themed menus for particular holidays, we always have something planned at our homes.

 

For example, last week was St. Patrick’s Day and our residents at Caer Gwent, one of our care homes in residential Worthing, got to enjoy an Irish themed lunch. Starting with Irish potato soup before moving on to a beef stew with colcannon puffs and champ (spring onion mash with fried cabbage and bacon). We finished the three courses with Baileys French toast. Our residents loved this meal, and we always find that menus like this are a fantastic way to get our residents involved in the celebrations.

 

For some residents, mealtimes are a time for socialising, where they can enjoy a meal with their friends before moving into the afternoon for a cup of tea and freshly baked scone. However, other residents may have personal concerns meaning that they would rather eat alone. This can stem from physical limitations, or just a simple desire to spend mealtimes alone. Recognising and understanding a resident’s personal preferences is very important to us, and we will always care and respect our residents for the individuals that they are.

 

It’s not just the community element of food that makes it so important to so many of us. The nutritional value of the meals we eat can have a massive impact on both physical and mental health. The kitchen teams at our care homes have years of experience with creating delicious and exciting menus that are also nutritious and healthy. At Guild Care, no meal preparation is rushed, and everything is prepared with the forethought and care that all of our residents deserve.