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Innovative meal times for dementia sufferers 26 January 2006 Peace and quiet has been put on the menu for dementia residents sitting down to meals at a UK care home. St Nicholas care home in Netherton, Liverpool, is ensuring residents eat in a calm atmosphere, free of distractions, so that they can focus their attention on enjoying their meal. During mealtimes a "do not disturb" sign goes up outside the dining room. To preserve the social atmosphere of people coming together to have a meal, visitors to the home such as relatives, doctors and district nurses have been asked to avoid going to see residents while breakfast, lunch and tea are served. To cut the noise level, the television and radio in the room, which has a lounge area, are switched off. Staff are allocated to serve specific residents and keep track of their needs. Kathy Vogel, manager of the home's dementia unit, said the introduction of "protected mealtimes" had made an "unbelievable difference." Dr. Graham Stokes, Bupa Care Service’s head of mental health said, "Healthy people can be distracted from eating if there is noise and disturbance around them. The staff at St Nicholas care home have made extra efforts to minimise distractions for residents burdened by dementia who may be particularly prone to such distraction. The result has been that residents are eating more of their meals. This simple measure illustrates how meeting the nutritional needs of care home residents is more than a matter of providing wholesome fayre." Dr. Clive Bowman, Bupa Care Services medical director said: "We make considerable effort to support the nutrition of our residents. This is a really sensible yet simple initiative that supports our care for residents with dementia. People with dementia can be ‘on the go’ burning up a lot of calories throughout the day and eating well is key to avoiding health problems caused by poor nutrition. Providing an environment that residents find conducive to eat is an important part of care. It's a practice that will be shared by other homes which provide dementia care and demonstrates Bupa’s positive approach to care.” The success of the St Nicholas scheme is being monitored by the local Primary Care Trust, a part of the National Health Service which purchases care for the community. It is looking at the potential to expand the initiative to State-run care homes.
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