If celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey had been served this, he'd have sent it back - flying through the air and lifted by some choice curses. The people who do often get served dry proteins at mealtimes, will - the odds dictate - NOT return the food they get. Even though the meat or fish they are served may be hard, colorless, not easily sliced or diced, and even less aptly chewed and swallowed - a certain customer base will let that protein suffice. Who are these unsophisticated patrons? Largely, they are patients and residents of post-acute hospital, skilled and long term care facilities. Whatever the type of the facility, the persons who are housed there will have to eat there. One of the most frequent complaints heard about long term care meals, is that solid foods are dry and lacking in flavor. What is the problem?
Irregardless of the cooking skill of the dietary staff in this facility, when solid foods are presented to the person served as dry and unappetizing - their consumption flattens. With all of the diets for person served in a facility, foods served are for persons with GI problems, respiratory problems, cardiac problems, kidney problems, diabetes, neurological problems - and many more problems. Overlaid on the need for special and modified diets are the person's needs to take medications and supplements for their medical treatment. A person who takes multiple medications by mouth is more likely to experience dry mouth as a symptom. When a dry mouth is more the norm, there is less of a chance to chew and swallow dry foods successfully. Choking on dry foods in a dry mouth raises red flags for the treatment staff; namely, nurses and staff - to alert treatment staff there is someone with a swallowing problem - !!
Given that the problem as presented is multifactorial; that is, not caused by a single variable in the nutrition process; - a person that has a so-called 'swallowing problem' may instead be dealing with a 'cooking problem'. Perhaps changing how the food is prepared - in the kitchen or tableside - will give more persons options for making institutional food palatable. The next post will give you some solutions to this dilemna.
It is no wonder that people who live in this type housing places are depressed and miserable. If they don't get palatable food or food that is too dry, or tough, they risk choking, or they don't eat. That isn't good either. They don't deserve badly cooked food or food that is not good quality either. I look forward to the next blog post with the solutions.
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