18 Aug Have you considered an outbreak menu?
The unfortunate, increasing number of COVID-19 cases throughout care facilities may mean a review of existing catering processes and procedures.
Developing a specific outbreak menu if COVID-19 is contracted, is a great way to plan for meal preparation with limited staff in a COVID-19 safe environment.
Food for thought
Things like pre-prepared meal kits or selecting ingredients that can be easily sourced during the pandemic, can ensure residents continue to receive adequate nutrition and hydration if there’s a COVID-19 outbreak, or precautionary lockdown.
Other operational workarounds can involve revamping the menu with less-complicated dishes, involving fewer of the kitchen staff in their preparation. How the meal is served may also change. Using disposable plates and cutlery can help to reduce the risk of cross-infection when serving COVID-19 positive residents.
How online software can help
Using cloud-based catering software for meal ordering and reporting provides peace of mind that essential resident information remains secure and accessible in a lockdown situation. Paperless ordering can also be completed for COVID-19 positive residents using iPads, removing the cross-contamination risk of paper forms.
Although we are living in difficult times, advanced planning, along with increased communication, helps reduce the level of anxiety for all staff and family members. By everyone understanding the procedures involved and what plans are in place in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak such as a well-designed outbreak menu, staff can focus on what they do best, caring for our vulnerable residents.
