Buffet takes too long for debilitated residents to go
thru a line. We went to taking orders like in a restaurant. Staff,
residents and everybody likes it. We mark each diet order ticket with a 3M
sticky piece of paper. The ticket is left on the table with the
meal. Nurse aides know to chart intake on those residents. We chart
intake on all MDS week of observation residents and any resident at risk for
weight loss.
We have had no weight losses related to the DR
change, have saved lots of food wasting, and res love being served the portions
they want. Nurse aides get res up in AM between 5:30 and 9, whenever the
res wakes or wants to be wakened. Lunch and supper they pretty much all
want to eat at the same time: 11:45 and 5:30- but still choose their
menu.
I have
a question for the group. We are getting ready to start changing our
dining room/meal time. We are planning on doing the buffet meals.
The question our CDM possed to me after seeing some other facilities that are
doing this is how do you monitor meal intake. Right now we have had no
significant wt. loss, or decubs, and our consultant says we are doing
ok. But right now I am on a fact finding mission. How does
everyone monitor meal intake and watch for wt. loss. We thought maybe
making the res. plate somehow to indicate to staff they are at risk for wt.
loss, dehydration etc. But if you do the buffett, which gives the res. a
choice of what to eat, and what to put on their plate, then you may have 4
different types of meal intake. (hope that made sense). I
appreciate your suggestions. My other question is how did each of you
start the process, and was wandering if the facilities doing the buffett meal
time if they could fax me their policy and procedures and let me know how they
started the process. Would like to see what other facilites are doing
and how it is also going.
