Eating for Health in Care Homes: A Practical Nutrition Handbook

 The Royal Institute of Public Health
 ISBN 1901660 001,
 £27

 Star rating: 5/5

For anyone who has an involvement or interest in the nutritional health of older people this handbook will be useful. For every care home worker it is a must, writes Karen Webb.

It offers a comprehensive guide to the provision of a healthy balanced diet. It includes sections on age-related illness, nutritional problems in older people and offers lots of tips and ideas for good practice.

The handbook is a jargon-free, easy read that retains the reader’s interest and will aid compliance with national minimum standards. As a manager this is important to me, as is knowing that when I ask the chef and care staff to read this they will find it of interest.

The book contains a balance of factual information, legislation requirements, practical solutions and problem-solving. Every care home will learn something from this publication. Its checklists offer a useful self-assessment tool to help identify risk factors and would be an asset to quality assurance processes.

Reading this handbook has left me wanting to discuss new ideas with our chef and put our own menus to the test with the checklists. Care staff will also be encouraged to take a more active interest in nutrition in the home.

Karen Webb is a registered care home manager for Ivybank Care