A healthy diet adapted to the needs of the individual at the DomusVi Ciudad de Murcia residence for the elderly

Care providers at DomusVi prioritize adapted, enjoyable and healthy meals

In the DomusVi Ciudad de Murcia residence for the elderly, as in all of the establishments managed by DomusVi throughout Spain, one of the hallmarks of the care offered is the focus on individual needs, and in the case of food this topic is treated with the priority it deserves so that all residents, whether temporary or long-term, can actively enjoy mealtimes as their own tastes and preferences are catered for.

At a very basic physiological level, the main aims of food are to meet our energy needs and to enable the body to regulate its proper functioning and growth. A proper diet also helps to ward off illness and thus ensure a healthy ageing process, and neither must the social aspect of sharing tables and meals be underestimated as a source of pleasure.

The DomusVi Ciudad de Murcia residence has its own kitchen, where menus are prepared to cater for the nutritional needs of each resident, and in this way the residence can exercise a high level of control over how the menu is adapted for each individual, the ingredients used and the cooking process itself. In consequence, the menus on offer are varied and balanced, while also being adapted for each resident to ensure that all the necessary nutrients are provided for a correct diet.

The only acceptable level for the dining-room services provided is, for DomusVi, “exceptional”. Be it breakfast, lunch or dinner, the greatest care is taken over each meal, as specified in the protocols of the centre: this guarantees satisfaction for both the residents and their families.

Adapting food prepared for the elderly is a high priority so that they can continue enjoying a healthy diet

Usually when we think about maintaining a balanced diet we are thinking only about the finished product, the quality and health attributes of the food which ends up being presented on our plates, but we often forget that a meal also requires proper preparation. This is even more important in the case of the elderly, who often have difficulty swallowing and digesting food.

At DomusVi Ciudad de Murcia the dishes are adapted to ensure that they are easy to chew, which in turn makes them easier to digest. At the same time presentation is crucial because, as the Spanish saying goes, a well-presented dish “goes in through the eyes”!

For these reasons the preparation of food is of key importance, as is the inclusion of all the elements which provide variety and enjoyment.

In DomusVi residences every effort is made to make mealtimes enjoyable, because it is important for people to eat in a pleasant environment and in company, making them sociable events.

Staff at the Ciudad de Murcia centre maintain that “eating in good company, with a varied diet and chewing correctly, has a direct effect on quality of life and the proper functioning of the digestive system. The combination of these elements has a favourable effect on health, making the most of all the necessary nutrients”.

The dishes provided include typical, traditional meals, which help to promote eating and healthy habits among the residents.

Local suppliers

DomusVi makes every effort to use locally sourced providers to meet their specific food supply needs, selecting them on their proximity and speed of delivery to ensure that fresh produce is used as well as on their official quality and environmental accreditation and, of course, the relationship between price and quality.

The staff at DomusVi are acutely aware of all the demands of food safety regulation and meticulously ensure that all of the criteria are met, carrying out quality controls as soon as they receive ingredients and during the storage, handling and preparation of food as well as when the meals are served. In this way they ensure the delivery of safe and healthy food, and particular attention is paid to the daily planning of meal preparation so that as little as possible is wasted.

Food and nutrition are the subject of various of the internal training courses attended by DomusVi staff as no stone is left unturned in the quest to improve the wellbeing of the long- and short-term residents and to optimize the management of raw materials while increasing the already high food safety levels.

The commitment of DomusVi to providing healthy meals for those with special nutritional needs

Dysphagia is the term used to describe difficulty in swallowing, which affects the digestive health of over 2.5 million people in Spain according to the Spanish Otorhinolaryngology Society (SEORL). Particularly at risk are the elderly, and in order to supply a balanced diet to those affected it is indispensable to take into account their needs, especially with regard to chewing and swallowing certain textures.

For this reason, DomusVi (and other businesses in the same sector) take a special interest in improving the digestive health of people with special dietary needs. For DomusVi, this has led to taking part in the Nutri+ project, which aims to make m ore people aware of the importance of digestive health by generating ingredients, special dishes, balanced diets and adapted textures to help those with problems chewing and swallowing, all of them providing healthy levels of nutrition even with adapted textures while at the same time making sure that the presentation of food is visually attractive.

Within the Nutri+ program 30 products with adapted textures have been developed along with 8 for easy-to-chew diets.

In collaboration with businesses in the food and technology sectors, research institutes and public institutions, DomusVi has published a book of special recipes under the title of “La Guía para la Disfagia” – The Dysphagia Guide. This contains a series of dietary recommendations for individuals with ingestion difficulties, underlining the commitment of DomusVi to promoting healthy diets in the general population and improving the quality of life enjoyed by the elderly.