When it comes to aged care, food plays a huge role in keeping residents happy and healthy. Food is at the heart of every care home. The production, delivery and service of food punctuates a resident’s day, every day, all day.
With 5 food textures, 5 fluid thicknesses, 10 cultural preferences and 100 allergies, dislikes and intolerances, 6 times a day, 365 days a year – 2.19 billion meal combinations annually make care catering complex!
Enter catering software – the secret weapon that can help catering teams easily meet the new Aged Care Quality Standard 6: Food and Nutrition.
Making Sure Every Bite Counts
The new strengthened quality Standard 6 is all about providing nutritious and safe food that residents will actually enjoy eating. This is where catering software shines.
Coming up with new recipes and menus that fit all of the requirements can be time consuming. Catering software such as SoupedUp takes away that burden from chefs with things like active resident meal blocking based on meal textures and 15 declarable allergens, giving them time to focus on creating and cooking meals that are exciting but also high quality.
Customised Meals for Everyone – regardless of texture, allergies or intolerances
Every resident has unique dietary needs and preferences. Whether it’s allergies, medical conditions, or just personal likes and dislikes, catering software handles it all.
This level of customisation is key to meeting Quality Standard 6, which emphasises the importance of respecting residents' food preferences and improving their dining experience.
Smooth Operations, Fewer Mistakes
Old-school paper-based systems can lead to mistakes and inefficiencies that affect food quality. Catering software simplifies everything by automating menu and meal planning, and the delivery process. This reduces errors and frees up staff to focus more on caring for residents. Efficient operations mean meals are served on time and tailored to each resident's needs, which is crucial for maintaining their health and happiness.
Better Communication and Coordination
Good communication between kitchen staff, caregivers, and clinical teams is essential for top-notch food and nutrition services. Catering software acts as a central hub where all dietary information is shared and updated in real-time. Integrations with clinical software ensures everyone is on the same page, reducing the risk of miscommunication and enhancing overall care quality.
Easy Compliance with Regulations
With regulations becoming stricter, managing and documenting compliance efficiently is crucial. Catering software offers a digital record of residents food and dining experience, complete with robust reporting, making it easy for aged care sites to demonstrate compliance with Quality Standard 6 and other regulations. This simplifies the audit process and ensures all aspects of food and nutrition are managed effectively and transparently.
Catering software is the secret ingredient that helps aged care sites meet and exceed Quality Standard 6: Food and Nutrition. It streamlines operations, improves communication and simplifies regulatory compliance. This tech not only enhances care quality but also significantly boosts the quality of life for residents.
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