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Conner-Williams Nursing Home Helps Residents with Proper Nutrition

Editor's Note: This article, written by Jill Gilbert, originally appeared as "No Appetite? No Problem!" in McKnight's Long Term Care News April 2008 edition.

One of the toughest challenges faced by every nursing facility is meeting residents’ nutritional needs. It's not simply a matter of serving enticing and nutritious meals. Sometimes residents just lose their appetites.

How can a facility address this problem? We continue last month's discussion with Food Service Director Deborah Hearn of Conner- Williams Nursing Home in Ridley Park, PA, who shared some straightforward steps that can make a crucial difference.

All eyes on appetite

At meals, nurses carefully note what residents eat, how much they eat, and whether they eat at all. Hearn receives a report of these habits so she can track any changes. If a resident isn’t eating, Hearn and her staff take measures to determine the reason.

It's all about problem-solving: She notes that one person may be experiencing the first signs of a worsening medical condition, and another one might be depressed if a relative doesn't show for a visit.

Other common reasons Hearn cites for a waning appetite include residents who have trouble with utensils and may require feeding assistance, and those who simply don't care for a particular dish.

"My concern is that they get the proper nutrition," she says, adding that she'll remove a dish from the menu if residents don't like it. Residents' needs change over time, so the staff is vigilant about watching for new problems to ensure any issues are resolved immediately.

Environmental conditions

Hearn broached a controversial issue: residents taking meals in their rooms. Eating in the dining room is important for socialization, as well as getting residents "up and moving."

But, Hearn says, residents can eat in their rooms if, for example, they don’t want to miss a favorite TV show. The priority, she says, is to make sure they're eating enough and getting the nutrition they need.

Rather than having to rush through a meal in the dining room, residents can take their time, eat their fill and watch their programs in the comfort of their rooms. That's the best break in regularly scheduled programming that we’ve heard in a long time!

Conner-Williams Nursing Home Keeps Residents Eating with its Recipe for Success

Posted in: McKnight's Long Term Care Columns

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