Initiative nourishes body and mind 

Eating had become a chore for 97-year-old Dot* – and not always one she completed. She had little appetite and wasn’t getting all the nutrients she needed to thrive and enjoy life.

Fortunately for Dot, Group Homes Australia, where she lives, included her in a pilot program I’ve been involved with called Food and Mood. 

Working with other specialists, we developed Dot’s personal action plan to help her enjoy food – just as she had done before her dementia diagnosis.   

It wasn’t long before Dot’s health – both physical and emotional – was transformed. Now, she has the warmest, most inviting smile and loves to share stories about her beautiful daughters and her 97 years of life.  

The program has reignited her love for food, and now Dot enjoys fresh, vibrant food with texture and colour. The program even managed to identify foods that sparked memories of childhood, filling her with nostalgia. Dot was so grateful, she left a handwritten note on a serviette for the staff: “Dear girls, I enjoyed this lunch very, very much, thank you 1,000 times.” 

One in four people living with dementia in a long-term care facility experience malnutrition, and a further 50 per cent are at risk of being malnourished. Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia, and dementia-related malnutrition is one of the factors driving this avoidable figure.  

A person living with dementia will experience faster functional loss if they are experiencing malnutrition. Their ability to carry out the tasks necessary for good nutrition can start to decline quickly. Food shopping, cooking and eating will become increasingly difficult. Without intervention, a person living with dementia can be trapped in a potentially fatal cycle of malnutrition.  

Malnutrition’s overwhelming impact on Australia’s dementia population is unsurprising. However, dementia care providers can greatly reduce its impact with dementia-specific nutritional programs.  

It’s our role to work out the unique challenges individuals are facing

And it begins with an open conversation with the person living with dementia and their support partner. It sounds obvious, but we can’t help someone properly until we take the time to understand their specific needs. 

As dementia care providers, it’s our role to work out the unique challenges individuals are facing, and then map out a personalised plan to help them access healthy nutrition and stronger psycho-emotional wellbeing. 

The Food and Mood program aims to do just this. A dementia-specific nutritional program, Food and Mood is underpinned by robust evidence and ongoing feedback from those involved in dementia care – including their loved ones, carers and the person living with dementia.  

Following two successful pilot programs in 2023, Food and Mood is now being rolled out across GHA’s 22 homes.  

By focusing on celebrating and enjoying food, Food and Mood is transforming residents’ emotional, physical and mental wellbeing. Meals shift from an isolating challenge to joyful moments that equip people with the emotional and nutritional fuel to live well with dementia.  

The project upskills staff with advanced cooking techniques, nutritional knowledge, and the ability to develop individualised meal plans. This initiative is measured with clinical, evidence-based tools that demonstrate its tangible benefits and help evolve the program to meet the residents’ changing needs.  

Megan van Genderen – a certified practicing nutritionist and GHA’s nutrition and wellness lead

We hope you enjoyed this article – please add your comments below
Visit our features portal for more in-depth stories