Food and Nutrition Skills for Those Providing Care & Improving Nutrition Care for a Client Group
Level 2
This course is for you if you work with older adults in the community e.g. carers, nursing assistants, chefs and others employed or volunteering in care settings. This course will develop your knowledge and skills in relation to food and nutrition for older adults, particularly those who are vulnerable. It will support you to enhance food and drink provision for older people, important for maintaining good health and preventing malnutrition. By the end of the course you will be able to pass on consistent evidence based nutrition information to the older adults that you care for and their families.
There are 7 sessions, usually delivered as one session per week for 7 weeks. Courses can be delivered in 2 ways, either
- face to face as a 2 hour group teaching session in a community venue each week with one hour of homework, or
- virtually as a 2 hours self-directed digital learning session and a 1-hour virtual face to face group session with a dietitian each week (in development)
The sessions cover the following content.
| Session | Content |
|---|---|
| Intro | Introduction to the course and accreditation |
| 1 | The Eatwell Guide and how it applies to older people |
| 2 | The importance of good nutrition and key nutrients |
| 3 | Malnutrition |
| 4 | Food First Adding energy and protein to everyday foods Assistance with eating and drinking |
| 5 | Menu planning |
| 6 | Food and nutrition care improvements |
The Community Food and Nutrition Skills for those Providing Care & Improving Nutrition Care for a Client Group units are set at a level two and together they are worth two credits (20 guided learning hours). Accreditation demonstrates the level of learning you have achieved and to be awarded credit you must be able to demonstrate that you have met all the assessment criteria for the unit. No prior nutrition knowledge is required, there are no exams or essays to worry about, but you will be required to submit a portfolio of evidence for assessment. Attendance at the sessions is also an important part of the assessment.
The course tutor will support you with all aspects of the course and there will be support after the course for those who want to put their learning in practice e.g. developing a food policy for their setting or implementing the Food and Nutrition in Care Setting for Older People Best Practice Guidance.
Feedback from participants
“I have learnt how to fortify meals and drinks”.
“I have really enjoyed the training”.
“Enjoyed the course – it is very helpful as a chef in a care home. I will use it as a tool for working with the elderly”.