Melbourne Dietetic Centre, Dietitians Melbourne, Weight Loss, Professionally Accredited

Services
Hospital Services
Accreditation
Case Studies
Menu Reviews
Locations

Melbourne Dietetic Centre is the largest private practice of professional dietitians in Victoria. MDC has provided professional and accredited Dietetic Services to aged care facilities, hospitals, individuals, community and corporate groups since 1982, and are leaders in aged care nutrition. Our team of 14 professional dietitians share a strong commitment to providing aged-care services of an exceptionally high professional standard. Our commitment to customers is to ensure Best Current Practice for residents, and to provide leadership for continuous quality improvement.

What MDC Can Provide For Your Facility?

Efficient regular or on-call clinical services
Menu reviews and menu planning
Staff education
Nutrition and hydration auditing
Locum or leave cover for your regular dietitians
Nutrition screening or malnutrition risk
Food service workshops
Nutrition and hydration policy development
Quality Assurance activities and reports
Assistance for passing accreditation

Why Choose an MDC Dietitian?

Although acting as a sole dietitian in your hospital, your dietitian will have the ongoing support of a large, expert team who are leaders in dietetics & nutrition
We take care of all dietitian HR and provide cover dietitians during leave
We take care of Continuous Professional Development and Quality Assurance to ensure Best Practice and better patient outcomes
We ensure our dietitians are qualified with the DAA and APD program and have the level of expertise to provide an outstanding service
All MDC dietitians are fully insured and have work cover

What MDC Can Provide For Your Hospital

Regular or on-call clinical services for patients
Group services / education
Nutrition screening for malnutrition risk
Locum or leave cover for your regular dietitians
Menu reviews
Food service education
Individual consultations for out-patients

Is you facility meeting Nutrition & Hydration requirements?

MDC’s Nutrition & Hydration Audit is designed to identify any gaps, highlight areas of excellence and recommend improvements in nutrition, hydration and swallowing. It is designed specifically to assist with facilities meeting Aged Care Accreditation Standards and identify areas for continuous improvement. The Nutrition & Hydration Audit is undertaken by an Accredited Practising Dietitian who will review all systems relating to nutrition and hydration.

The audit includes investigation through:

1hr interview with catering manager
1hr interview with clinical manager and/ or Director of Nursing
Documentation audit (resident files, kitchen documentation, and any other documents relating to nutrition, hydration and swallowing)
Education needs assessment
Policy and Procedure audit
Meal time observation
Discussion with resident/family

Findings from the audit are compiled into a comprehensive report and presented to your facility. Melbourne Dietetic Centre dietitians are experienced in aged care and have completed several projects in consultation with the GP Networks to audit residential aged care facilities.

Resident care

Problem
Betty is an 82-year-old lady who lives in a nursing home. She used to be a very good eater, but in recent months her appetite has decreased. Secondary to this, her weight has decreased 5kg in the past 2 months. There seems to be no medical reason for her loss of appetite; the doctor equates it to the ageing process and referred her to the dietitian.

Process
On meeting Betty, she seemed bright, aware and happy to talk about her food, the meals and her appetite. She was well able to give a detailed account of what she used to eat and her likes and dislikes. Her intake of late has, however, been only very small amounts of odd meals, depending on whether she likes them. She reported to be put off by the large meals that the kitchen serves.

In making recommendations to Betty, she was encouraged to eat meals high in protein and high energy, in the distribution of small frequent meals. A list of foods that Betty likes and dislikes was noted. This was given to the kitchen so that they could provide alternatives to allow Betty to select an appealing and nourishing meal choice. The kitchen was also able to supply smaller and more frequent meals to her.

Betty was seen by the dietitian again after two weeks. She reported that she was eating a little more, as the meals were now more appealing to her. Her weight over this time had been stable, but it was still in the “underweight” category. Because of Betty’s weight still being low, Betty agreed to try and start drinking on sustagen twice a day, at morning and afternoon tea. These drinks were kept to small volumes of 150ml but were made with full cream milk and the full dose of sustagen to ensure Betty received the necessary nutrition and calories but that these extra drinks did not curb her appetite.

Result
Betty continued to be seen by the dietitian at regular intervals and started to slowly regain some weight. Once she was back into the healthy weight range for her height, her Sustagen intake was reduced to one each day. Fortunately this was enough to keep her weight stable. Betty reports to continue to enjoy her food and is finding eating pleasurable again.

Further benefits for the facility- During the process of requesting various foods for Betty and setting up small frequent meals for her the kitchen staff took on a lot of informal education / information form the dietitian regarding the nutrition needs for the residents. The kitchen staff then took the initiative to start providing other residents with nourishing small frequent meals.

Preparing for Accreditation in Aged Care

Problem/Issue

A small aged care facility in Melbourne had noted an increase in dietitian referrals for unintentional weight loss and was worried that they were failing to provide adequate nutrition and hydration to residents, a requirement of the Aged Care Standards. With accreditation only six months away the facility contacted Melbourne Dietetic Centre for assistance.

Process

Melbourne Dietetic Centre provided the facility with a dietitian, highly experienced in aged care to assess the situation. Upon entering the facility it was clear to the dietitian that there were numerous underlying causes of the high levels of weight loss, including: nutritionally inadequate menu and poor weight tracking systems.

To address the issues the dietitian conducted a comprehensive menu review and nutrition and hydration audit, looking in detail at all systems related to nutrition within the facility (including kitchen, clinical processes and policies). The individual residents that had been referred were also assessed and action plans formed to prevent further weight loss and optimize nutritional status.

Recommendations arising from the menu review and audit were then presented to key staff: facility manager, catering manager and clinical team, at a facility Nutrition & Hydration meeting where areas for improvement could be addressed.

Results

Improvements were made to the facility menu and nutrition policies, and the dietitian ran several staff in-services to up-skill the kitchen and care staff.
Facility was assessed as complying with Standard 2.10 Provision of Adequate Nutrition and Hydration following accreditation.
Referrals to dietitian for unintentional weight loss reduced over the following 12 months due to improvements within the facility.
Regular Nutrition & Hydration meetings (involving kitchen, clinical staff and an MDC Dietitian) are now held to identify areas for continuous improvement and address issues as they arise.
Excellent accreditation compliance was achieved.

Aged Care Accreditation Standards require that menus are reviewed regularly by a professional to ensure nutritional adequacy and appropriateness for residents. Menu reviews are an integral component ensuring that your residents are achieving optimal nutrition, health and quality of life and should be conducted at minimum yearly.

A menu review needs to be thorough and comprehensive and shouldn’t just be an assessment done on paper. MDC's comprehensive menu reviews:

are undertaken by an Accredited Practising Dietitian who specializes in aged care
involve a site visit, including interviews with key catering, nursing, care staff and management
include meal time observation and audits for serving size, presentation, nutritional adequacy and taste
evaluate appropriateness for demographics, cooking methods, ingredients, flexibility, variety, and limitations
evaluate systems for food and fluid service
include an extensive written report with practical, aged-care specific recommendations

Melbourne Dietetic Centre has undertaken countless menu reviews for aged care facilities across Victoria, so you can have the piece of mind that you are getting the most relevant advice from the most experienced professionals. Please call us to discuss the specific needs of your facility.

MDC currently services over 1000 beds in over 80 aged care facilities in all areas of metropolitan Melbourne and throughout rural Victoria, e.g. in Bendigo, Geelong, Leongatha and Wodonga. MDC is Victoria’s largest group of private practice dietitians and can provide specialised aged-care services throughout Victoria.




Services Hospital Services Accreditation Case Studies Menu Reviews Locations Melbourne Dietetic Centre is the largest private practice of professional dietitians in Victoria. MDC has provided professional and accredited Dietetic Services to aged care facilities, hospitals, individuals, community and corporate groups since 1982, and are leaders in aged care nutrition. Our team of 14 professional dietitians share a strong commitment to providing aged-care services of an exceptionally high professional standard. Our commitment to customers is to ensure Best Current Practice for residents, and to provide leadership for continuous quality improvement. What MDC Can Provide For Your Facility? Efficient regular or on-call clinical services Menu reviews and menu planning Staff education Nutrition and hydration auditing Locum or leave cover for your regular dietitians Nutrition screening or malnutrition risk Food service workshops Nutrition and hydration policy development Quality Assurance activities and reports Assistance for passing accreditation Why Choose an MDC Dietitian? Although acting as a sole dietitian in your hospital, your dietitian will have the ongoing support of a large, expert team who are leaders in dietetics & nutrition We take care of all dietitian HR and provide cover dietitians during leave We take care of Continuous Professional Development and Quality Assurance to ensure Best Practice and better patient outcomes We ensure our dietitians are qualified with the DAA and APD program and have the level of expertise to provide an outstanding service All MDC dietitians are fully insured and have work cover What MDC Can Provide For Your Hospital Regular or on-call clinical services for patients Group services / education Nutrition screening for malnutrition risk Locum or leave cover for your regular dietitians Menu reviews Food service education Individual consultations for out-patients Is you facility meeting Nutrition & Hydration requirements? MDC’s Nutrition & Hydration Audit is designed to identify any gaps, highlight areas of excellence and recommend improvements in nutrition, hydration and swallowing. It is designed specifically to assist with facilities meeting Aged Care Accreditation Standards and identify areas for continuous improvement. The Nutrition & Hydration Audit is undertaken by an Accredited Practising Dietitian who will review all systems relating to nutrition and hydration. The audit includes investigation through: 1hr interview with catering manager 1hr interview with clinical manager and/ or Director of Nursing Documentation audit (resident files, kitchen documentation, and any other documents relating to nutrition, hydration and swallowing) Education needs assessment Policy and Procedure audit Meal time observation Discussion with resident/family Findings from the audit are compiled into a comprehensive report and presented to your facility. Melbourne Dietetic Centre dietitians are experienced in aged care and have completed several projects in consultation with the GP Networks to audit residential aged care facilities. Resident care Problem Betty is an 82-year-old lady who lives in a nursing home. She used to be a very good eater, but in recent months her appetite has decreased. Secondary to this, her weight has decreased 5kg in the past 2 months. There seems to be no medical reason for her loss of appetite; the doctor equates it to the ageing process and referred her to the dietitian. Process On meeting Betty, she seemed bright, aware and happy to talk about her food, the meals and her appetite. She was well able to give a detailed account of what she used to eat and her likes and dislikes. Her intake of late has, however, been only very small amounts of odd meals, depending on whether she likes them. She reported to be put off by the large meals that the kitchen serves. In making recommendations to Betty, she was encouraged to eat meals high in protein and high energy, in the distribution of small frequent meals. A list of foods that Betty likes and dislikes was noted. This was given to the kitchen so that they could provide alternatives to allow Betty to select an appealing and nourishing meal choice. The kitchen was also able to supply smaller and more frequent meals to her. Betty was seen by the dietitian again after two weeks. She reported that she was eating a little more, as the meals were now more appealing to her. Her weight over this time had been stable, but it was still in the “underweight” category. Because of Betty’s weight still being low, Betty agreed to try and start drinking on sustagen twice a day, at morning and afternoon tea. These drinks were kept to small volumes of 150ml but were made with full cream milk and the full dose of sustagen to ensure Betty received the necessary nutrition and calories but that these extra drinks did not curb her appetite. Result Betty continued to be seen by the dietitian at regular intervals and started to slowly regain some weight. Once she was back into the healthy weight range for her height, her Sustagen intake was reduced to one each day. Fortunately this was enough to keep her weight stable. Betty reports to continue to enjoy her food and is finding eating pleasurable again. Further benefits for the facility- During the process of requesting various foods for Betty and setting up small frequent meals for her the kitchen staff took on a lot of informal education / information form the dietitian regarding the nutrition needs for the residents. The kitchen staff then took the initiative to start providing other residents with nourishing small frequent meals. Preparing for Accreditation in Aged Care Problem/Issue A small aged care facility in Melbourne had noted an increase in dietitian referrals for unintentional weight loss and was worried that they were failing to provide adequate nutrition and hydration to residents, a requirement of the Aged Care Standards. With accreditation only six months away the facility contacted Melbourne Dietetic Centre for assistance. Process Melbourne Dietetic Centre provided the facility with a dietitian, highly experienced in aged care to assess the situation. Upon entering the facility it was clear to the dietitian that there were numerous underlying causes of the high levels of weight loss, including: nutritionally inadequate menu and poor weight tracking systems. To address the issues the dietitian conducted a comprehensive menu review and nutrition and hydration audit, looking in detail at all systems related to nutrition within the facility (including kitchen, clinical processes and policies). The individual residents that had been referred were also assessed and action plans formed to prevent further weight loss and optimize nutritional status. Recommendations arising from the menu review and audit were then presented to key staff: facility manager, catering manager and clinical team, at a facility Nutrition & Hydration meeting where areas for improvement could be addressed. Results Improvements were made to the facility menu and nutrition policies, and the dietitian ran several staff in-services to up-skill the kitchen and care staff. Facility was assessed as complying with Standard 2.10 Provision of Adequate Nutrition and Hydration following accreditation. Referrals to dietitian for unintentional weight loss reduced over the following 12 months due to improvements within the facility. Regular Nutrition & Hydration meetings (involving kitchen, clinical staff and an MDC Dietitian) are now held to identify areas for continuous improvement and address issues as they arise. Excellent accreditation compliance was achieved. Aged Care Accreditation Standards require that menus are reviewed regularly by a professional to ensure nutritional adequacy and appropriateness for residents. Menu reviews are an integral component ensuring that your residents are achieving optimal nutrition, health and quality of life and should be conducted at minimum yearly. A menu review needs to be thorough and comprehensive and shouldn’t just be an assessment done on paper. MDC's comprehensive menu reviews: are undertaken by an Accredited Practising Dietitian who specializes in aged care involve a site visit, including interviews with key catering, nursing, care staff and management include meal time observation and audits for serving size, presentation, nutritional adequacy and taste evaluate appropriateness for demographics, cooking methods, ingredients, flexibility, variety, and limitations evaluate systems for food and fluid service include an extensive written report with practical, aged-care specific recommendations Melbourne Dietetic Centre has undertaken countless menu reviews for aged care facilities across Victoria, so you can have the piece of mind that you are getting the most relevant advice from the most experienced professionals. Please call us to discuss the specific needs of your facility. MDC currently services over 1000 beds in over 80 aged care facilities in all areas of metropolitan Melbourne and throughout rural Victoria, e.g. in Bendigo, Geelong, Leongatha and Wodonga. MDC is Victoria’s largest group of private practice dietitians and can provide specialised aged-care services throughout Victoria. \| Home \| About \| Individual Consulting \| Aged Care/Hospital \| \| Corporate/Government \| Contact \| Links\|
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