Where Are Meals Served?

In some homes, particularly residential care homes, breakfast is served in the dining area but in other homes it is served in residents’ rooms.

In homes where breakfast is served in the dining room residents can usually choose where they prefer to eat the first meal of the day, either in their rooms or in the dining area, depending on the their health.

Lunch and high tea (or dinner) are usually served in the dining room or the dining area of the lounge for those residents who are able to be brought to the table.

For residents who are sick meals are served to them in their rooms.

Some residents prefer to have all their meals served in the lounge, others wish to remain in their room all the time including meals times. Whilst this is not forbidden it is generally discouraged, because the resident:

• doesn’t get the chance to make friends
• tends to withdraw from activities because they don’t know other residents
• can become introverted
• can become isolated
• can become depressed.

Elevenses and afternoon tea are served to the residents wherever they happen to be in the home at the time (except the bathroom or toilet).

A community spirit, friendship and chatting between the residents is encouraged particularly at meal times.

Eating A Meal

Some residents are physically incapable of feeding themselves and will be fed, or helped to feed themselves, by care staff.

Blind residents are helped if the food is served onto their plate in a pattern, such as a clock. The resident is asked to imagine the plate as if it were a clock. Potatoes might be served on the plate at the 12 o’clock position; meat/fish served on the plate at the 6 o’clock position; the first vegetable, eg broccoli might be placed on the plate at 3 o’clock position, the second vegetable, eg carrots, at the 9 o’clock position, sauces or condiments at the 7 o’clock position.

If the blind resident is told clearly and understands where the different foods, eg vegetables or meat have been placed (in relation to a clock face numerals) they will probably be able to feed themselves with little or no help within a short period of time. See Figure 8.