'Eating well is about so much more than nutrients on a plate': A multidisciplinary approach to malnutrition in aged care

Half of aged care residents suffer from malnutrition, which has all kinds of flow-on effects to their health and wellbeing. The ABC uncovered an epidemic of underfunding and untrained kitchen staff leading to low-quality meals, but that isn't the only cause. Older people often have lower appetites, for a huge variety of reasons. For example, poor dental health makes it painful to chew. Reduced sensory input makes even good food less appetising. Dementia-related dysphagia makes it hard to swallow.

Combine with circumstances in many aged care facilities, and it gets even worse. The food (which tends to be of the 'meat and three veg' style) might be very different from what you're used to eating, especially if you're from a non-Anglo background. It might be unappealing to eat alone under fluorescent lights if you're used to lively, conversation-filled meals around the kitchen table. Or maybe you like to have a late breakfast, but your facility serves it at 8am sharp.

These are exactly the sort of challenges that service design excels at identifying and addressing. In the Journal of Dementia Care, The Lantern Project shares how their multidisciplinary team goes about it.