Care Home Nutrition and Dietetics Resources
Malnutrition is caused in part by poor appetite and poor intakes of food and drink resulting commonly in weight loss as well as increased risk of infections and other illnesses.
It’s vital as staff within care homes to be able to recognise the signs of malnutrition and initiate treatment as early as possible.
Our videos and guides provide tips for improving resident’s eating and drinking to reduce risk of malnutrition or treat it once diagnosed.
Visit our Vimeo channel to see all our Care Home resource videos (opens new browser tab)
In this webinar we discuss the science behind energy balance and the impact this can have on a care home resident’s weight. We cover practical guidance on identifying patterns in weight and energy intake as well as how to spot concerning, unexpected weight loss in care home residents.
Watch Understanding Weight Changes video on Vimeo (opens new browser tab)
Questionnaire and certificate
Once you’ve viewed the video, check your learning with this questionnaire and receive a certificate of your nutrition in care homes training.
Complete the questionnaire (Online data entry form)
Support guides and websites
Read our Making the Most of What You Eat guide (pdf)
Read our Nourishing Drinks guide (pdf)
BAPEN
The charity BAPEN raises awareness of malnutrition and works to advance the nutritional care of patients and those at risk from malnutrition in the wider community.
Visit the BAPEN website (opens new browser tab)
In this webinar, we discuss screening for malnutrition risk using the MUST tool. We cover what each MUST score means, and provide the top 10 tips of what to do following MUST screening.
Watch Understanding MUST Score video on Vimeo (opens new browser tab)
Questionnaire and certificate
Once you’ve viewed the video, check your learning with this questionnaire and receive a certificate of your nutrition in care homes training.
Complete the online questionnaire (opens new browser tab)
Support guides
Read our Making the Most of What You Eat guide (pdf)
Read our Nourishing Drinks guide (pdf)
BAPEN
The charity BAPEN raises awareness of malnutrition and works to advance the nutritional care of patients and those at risk from malnutrition in the wider community. They have an easy to use MUST calculator on their website
Use the MUST calculator on the the BAPEN website (opens new browser tab)
In this webinar, we talk about the role and importance of a food first approach in adding extra energy to the diet of a care home resident who is at risk of malnutrition.
We cover food fortification and how this can be applied practically in a care home setting, as well as simple, everyday tips on adding high calorie snacks and nourishing drinks to a resident’s diet.
Watch Making the most of what you eat video on Vimeo(opens new browser tab)
Questionnaire and certificate
Once you’ve viewed the video, check your learning with this questionnaire and receive a certificate of your nutrition in care homes training.
Complete the online questionnaire (opens new browser tab)
Support guides
Read our 100kcal Booster guide (pdf)
Read our Importance of Protein in Your Diet guide (pdf)
Read our Making the Most of What You Eat guide (pdf)
Read our Nourishing Drinks guide (pdf)
BAPEN
The charity BAPEN raises awareness of malnutrition and works to advance the nutritional care of patients and those at risk from malnutrition in the wider community. They have an easy to use MUST calculator on their website
Use the MUST calculator on the the BAPEN website (opens new browser tab)
Support videos
Watch our video below demonstrating how to fortify your foods.
Watch the video below or visit our Vimeo channel.
Watch Fortifying your diet video on Vimeo(opens new browser tab)
In this webinar we cover the benefits of improving nutrition and hydration and simple ways to do so using recipes for fortified milk and homemade fortified milkshakes.
We cover why homemade fortified milkshakes are recommended for malnourished residents in care homes, and the nutritional value that homemade fortified milkshakes provide.
Watch Homemade fortified milkshake video on Vimeo (opens new browser tab)
Questionnaire and certificate
Once you’ve viewed the video, check your learning with this questionnaire and receive a certificate of your nutrition in care homes training.
Complete the online questionnaire (opens new browser tab)
Support guides
Read our Making the Most of What You Eat guide (pdf)
Read our Nourishing Drinks guide (pdf)
Support videos
Watch our video below demonstrating how to make a homemade fortified milkshake.
Watch the video below or visit our Vimeo channel.
Watch Nourishing drinks video on Vimeo (opens new browser tab)
In this webinar, we provide advice on helping nursing home residents with dementia to eat and drink and tips for overcoming the common challenges in providing nutrition to residents with dementia.
Watch Eating well in Dementia video on Vimeo (opens new browser tab)
Questionnaire and certificate
Once you’ve viewed the video, check your learning with this questionnaire and receive a certificate of your nutrition in care homes training.
Complete the online questionnaire (opens new browser tab)
Support guides
Read our 100kcal Booster guide (pdf)
Here we discuss progressive conditions and how the symptoms can affect eating and drinking. We cover tips and advice to improving your resident’s nutrition and hydration through assisting to eat and making food and drink more nourishing.
Watch Hints and Tips video on Vimeo (opens new browser tab)
Questionnaire and certificate
Once you’ve viewed the video, check your learning with this questionnaire and receive a certificate of your nutrition in care homes training.
Complete the online questionnaire (opens new browser tab)
Support guides
Read our 100kcal Booster guide (pdf)
Read our Finger Foods guide (pdf)
In this webinar, we talk about what end of life means and how aims change from maximising nutrition towards providing comfort and quality of life. We also cover tips for providing food and drink at the end of life.
Watch our Considerations video on Vimeo (opens new browser tab)
Questionnaire and certificate
Once you’ve viewed the video, check your learning with this questionnaire and receive a certificate of your nutrition in care homes training.
Complete the online questionnaire (opens new browser tab)
Support guides
Read our Nutritional Considerations for End of Life guide (pdf)
The CCG Prescribing Support Dietitians within Berkshire discuss the importance of prescribing Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) appropriately and prioritising a food first approach within care homes.
The team covers what ONS are, when a prescription of ONS may, or may not be appropriate, how patients can get the most out of taking their ONS and the importance of reviewing prescriptions of ONS regularly.
Watch our Oral nutritional supplements video on Vimeo (opens new browser tab)
Questionnaire and certificate
Once you’ve viewed the video, check your learning with this questionnaire and receive a certificate of your nutrition in care homes training.
Complete the online questionnaire (opens new browser tab)
Support guides
From 1 December 2023, dietetic care home referrals should not be sent to the Berkshire Integrated Health Hub.
You can refer a resident to our department using our online form or by using the QR code.
Use our online form to refer a resident (opens new tab)
Contact the CHS Diet Team if you have questions about the referral process.
Email CHSdiet@berkshire.nhs.uk
Resources
Read our care home referral FAQ guide (pdf)
Read an example food and fluid chart - remember to include this as part of referral (pdf)
