Caring Homes Head Chefs Learn Advanced Skills To Benefit Residents With Dysphagia
Last week, Head Chefs from the Caring Homes Group gathered for an interactive training session to learn more about ways in which they can support residents who have difficulty swallowing.
The session was run by Andy Cullum, the National Trainer for IDDSI, which stands for the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative. It’s a framework that gives us a standard way of describing and testing meals that have been modified to help residents who, for a variety of reasons, have difficulty swallowing - known as dysphagia.
Dysphagia Workshop Led By ‘The IDDSI Guy’
Caring Homes Group Hospitality Manager, Ben Frizell, and Group Executive Chef, Steve Wright, have delivered dysphagia training to teams across all 21 homes and as a group we are fully committed to supporting residents with dysphagia from a clinical perspective, as well as recognising how this is also important for their wellbeing. Always keen to take training to the next level, Ben and Steve set up an advanced workshop for Head Chefs which was led by Andy Cullum - also known as ‘The IDDSI Guy’ - and hosted by Steve Kirkwood at Atosa UK HQ in their Immersive Experiential Centre.
Encouraging Residents to Eat with Pleasure and Dignity
People with dysphagia need to receive food and drink that has been adapted to the correct texture without losing its nutritional value – and there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution, which is where the IDDSI framework comes in. It indicates that there are several levels of texture modification and at Caring Homes, residents are assessed using the guide so we can identify precisely how to help each individual eat and drink safely. As well as reducing the risks of choking and aspiration, we also want to present meals that taste good and include food items that are recognisable and appealing – which means our residents will feel encouraged to eat and can do so with dignity.
Practical Sessions and Priceless Tips
Andy is a wonderful communicator and the chefs were quickly interacting over what they knew, what they currently practiced in their kitchens and how they could improve their knowledge and skills to benefit residents with dysphagia. The focus of the morning session was creating a full meal – sausages, carrots, peas and mash – for four of the different levels indicated by the IDDSI framework. Andy explained and demonstrated, then the chefs split into groups to create the meal in stages, deconstructing then reconstructing the ingredients accordingly. There was much chopping, blitzing, blending, sieving, and piping. Andy reiterated exactly how ingredients needed to be measured to match their level, and also how to check form and texture using the prongs of a fork and by letting the ingredient tilt off a spoon.
The afternoon session was equally instructive and featured sandwiches and desserts. Throughout the day, the chefs were constantly picking up great tips from Andy – for example, how to thicken food whilst also adding nutritional value; how to give the illusion of a golden crust on modified bread; which ingredients can be used safely to enhance flavours and create colours – as well as advice on preparation, storage, and recommended cooking methods.
Creativity and Consistency for the Best Person-Centred Care
Presentation is the final stage and seeing eye-catching food on the plate – and the residents’ reaction to it - makes all the effort worthwhile. But whilst creativity and the commitment to exceed expectations are important, the key messages of the day were around dysphagia safety – how crucial it is to test every preparation and complete accurate records, and how consistency saves lives.
At the end of the afternoon session, each chef was presented with a certificate and a dysphagia cookbook to take back with them – another source of inspiration to help our chefs deliver choice and variety to all our residents. Everyone agreed the workshop had been useful and enlightening and the group especially enjoyed working alongside and exchanging ideas with their fellow Head Chefs. Meanwhile, Ben and Steve are already discussing opportunities to deliver elements of the day’s training to a wider audience at Caring Homes – all part of our commitment to training and developing our teams so they are able to consistently deliver the very best person-centred care to every resident.
