Nutrition plays an integral part in our lives and in keeping us happy and healthy – this is even more so as we get older. Good, nutritious food can not only contribute to the quality of our lives, but also has many physical benefits such as helping us live longer and fighting cognitive diseases well into old age.

Aged care facilities have a responsibility to provide food that is not only tasty, but aids residents in spending their golden years healthy and content. Feros Care is proud to maintain a culture that places heavy significance on the food we provide to our residents.

Maggie Beer speaks out at the Royal Commission into Aged Care

With the current Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety underway, celebrity cook Maggie Beer spoke out about the importance of nutritious and above all delicious food provided to aged care residents.

She advocates for the increase of budget spent on meals in aged care facilities, and she believes that “we have a responsibility to give a good way of life for those in aged care and in the community.”

"Every bite of sustenance should be of goodness, but flavour first: flavour, goodness and pleasure," she said.

The Maggie Beer Foundation runs masterclasses for cooks of aged care facilities, teaching them how to provide flavoursome and seasonal meals at a low cost.

Scott Falls, who is Head Chef across all Feros Care residential operations, is committed to raising the bar when it comes to Feros Care menus. Scott and his fellow head chefs have attended Maggie Beer’s ‘Creating an Appetite for Life’ educational program.

“Maggie has a passion for ensuring residents in aged care receive fresh food filled with flavour and nutrition,” Scott said of the three-day workshop.

“As head chefs, we can help achieve that and it was brilliant to hear Maggie and other aged care industry experts outline how we can deliver the best menus for our residents.

“Take purees – it’s not a case of one-size-fits-all. People with different health conditions swallow differently so it’s vital we are strict about the consistency of our purees. We’re also trialing moulds so a puree on the plate looks like the vegetable it is, for example a carrot.

“So much thought goes into what we do.”

Feros Care takes pride in providing nutritious and delicious food to its senior residents

Scott takes immense pride in the role he plays in ensuring the residents of all three Feros Care Residential Villages stay as healthy as possible.

“We can give them medicines and pills, but food is such a vital part of keeping them well,” the head chef said of the seniors who call the village home.

“The better and more nutritional the food we serve, the less they need some medicines. That’s where the phrase ‘food is medicine’ comes from.”

Scott’s work environment is testament to his words.

A whiteboard in the kitchen outlines key culinary details about each resident – allergies in red, dislikes in blue. The bookshelf in his office is filled with textbooks about food and nutrition, among them the extremely pertinent Eat to Cheat Dementia by dietitian Ngaire Hobbins.

“We have residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and providing food that is enticing as well as nourishing can play a huge role in their quality of life,” Scott said.

“We serve many traditional recipes and dishes that they can identify with. We’ve also seen how smells of food can inspire memories. If we serve fish and chips, it can remind someone of being at the beach with their parents or own children years ago.

“We do freshly baked morning teas and the smell of biscuits or cakes flowing through the village can bring a smile to many faces.”

And how does he know when they’ve hit the mark?

“You can tell it’s been a successful menu when the residents’ plates are empty – and that’s always a good feeling.”

Looking for a residential village that puts you first? See our amazing residential villages here.

Want to know your rights as an aged care client in Australia? Click here to read more about the Single Aged Care Quality Framework.