12 - Taste of success for healthy eating scheme

Marjorie (right) enjoying fresh fruit smoothies with Stacey Cole, Senior Care Assistant at New Swinford Hall.

 

More than 250 residents from the council’s homes for older people have been benefiting from the initiative that aims to encourage residents to eat and drink more healthily.

 

Smoothies, fresh fruit platters, homemade soups and plenty of fruit and vegetables are now all on the menu at the homes.

 

The aim is to educate and encourage residents to eat a healthy diet, boosting nutrition and to make sure they are drinking enough to ensure optimum health. Residents have been fully involved in the fun project and healthy eating themed social evenings, quizzes and healthy eating cookery classes have been the order of the day. The cookery classes, run in partnership with Dudley Primary Care Trust’s food and nutrition team have proved particularly popular with both staff and residents.

 

Since the launch of the scheme a number of important benefits have been noted. The homes have seen a reduction in the number of falls, more involvement in social activities and fewer hospital admissions amongst residents.

 

“We’ve been really pleased with the results of this project. It shows that encouraging people to drink more fluids and to eat a healthy diet, including plenty of fruit and vegetables can lead to a significant change in people’s health.  Good hydration and nutrition are vitally important for older people and it is crucial that all of us recognise this, families, carers and older people themselves.”

 

“Our residents now love the fruit smoothies and fruit platters and are having lots of fun in the cookery classes.”

 

 

“Because of my Parkinsons illness I’ve not cooked for 14 years, so it has been great to get back into the kitchen in a cookery class and to get help. And we love all this fresh fruit, it’s been marvellous.”