Identify a family member or friend who has spent at least 1 day in a care facility and received at least two main meals at the facility within the last 5 years, who is willing to participate in an interview about the food they consumed while at the facility. Care facilities can be hospitals, aged care homes, nursing home and live-in rehabilitation centres. Please contact the unit coordinator for assistance if you are having difficulty identifying someone to interview.

Conduct an interview, either in person, over the phone, or using web conferencing, and ask pre-prepared questions. A list of suggested questions is included in the Unit Assessment guide on the unit Moodle page. You should also be prepared to ask additional questions to get a greater level of detail if deemed appropriate.

You will need to determine the type of food production method used (cook-chill, cook-freeze or cook- fresh) at the care facility that your interviewee attended. This can often be found on the care facility's internet page. In some instances, a phone call to the facility to seek this information may be required.

Conduct research, using the scientific and grey literature in relation to the type of food production method that your interviewee’s care facility uses. You will need to establish the key advantages and limitations associated with the specified food production method. You will also need to investigate the other two types of food production methods also using the scientific literature to allow a comparison of the different types of methods.

You are then to compile the information gathered from your research about food production methods and the responses from your interviewee to produce a magazine article. The magazine article needs to be written using engaging scientific  language. The magazine article is for the intended inclusion in a reputable scientific magazine, read by a professional audience.

The report should include the following:

· A cover page that includes your name, student number, assessment title, unit code, unit coordinator’s name, home course and word count. If you have received an extension, include the extension date.

· Introduction: Introduce the main themes covered in your article as well as your interviewee and the food production method used at the associated care facility.

· Explore the food production method from your interviewee’s care facility including a discussion of the associated advantages and limitations using the literature. You should also consider the perspective of the facility (those making and serving the food) and the person receiving the food when discussing the food production methods. Where relevant, incorporate your interviewee's responses as anecdotal evidence.

· Explore the other two food production methods in comparison to the food production method used by your interviewee's care facility. Discuss the advantages and limitations of these food production methods.

· Summarise the key characteristics of an ideal food production method with justification.

Rubric categories are as follows;

• Introduction of topic and themes covered in the magazine article
• Background relating to the food production method used at the care facility of the interviewee
• Food production method used at interviewees care facility, including advantages and limitations of method
• Exploration of other food production methods not used by interviewee’s care facility.
• Comparison of food production methods
• Integration of interviewees experience at the care facility in relation to food provision with the literature
• Summary of an ideal food production method for a care facility
• Formatting
• Written expression
• Referencing and Appendix

You are the manager of the food service department of a 70-room low-care aged care facility in a semi-rural location, that provides long-term stay for people over the age of 65years. You are passionate about providing the residents with foods that they are likely to consider to be culturally acceptable, flavoursome, without compromising nutrition. You are also mindful of the facility’s budgetary constraints and that the facility does not want to extend the food budget without very good reason.

There has been very little change to the meals that are available to residents over the last 5 years. The facilities General Practioner (GP) weighs the residents monthly and she has reported to the facility manager that the residents seem to rely heavily on the facility’s main hot meal in the evening, seem to be rapidly gaining weight. You and your team would like to contribute to providing better meals and snack options for the residents.

You will need to complete the template provided and a written report to Moodle by Monday 19th September 5:00pm AEST.

Use the following information to complete the task.

1-day meal plan from the standard set menu

Breakfast: 1 cup of rice bubbles with full cream milk

Morning Tea: 1 small packet of sultanas, Chocolate chip cookie, Tea/coffee

Lunch: 4 party pies, hot chips, lemonade

Afternoon Tea: Tea/coffee, sweet biscuits

Dinner: 2 sausages, 2 rashers of fried bacon, 2 slices of white bread with butter and grilled tomatoes

Supper: Sponge cake with ice-cream, Tea/coffee

Current general demographic of the 70 residents living in the low-care facility

- Average age: 73 years of age, mostly good dentition, and good general health

- Religion of residents: 35% Christian, 25% Muslim, 20% Hindu, 20% no religion stated

The 1500-word report should include the following;

· Introduction of the facility’s residents and priorities/considerations for the food service department when choosing meals for residents

· A description of why the current set menu is not appropriate for the facility in relation to current Queensland Health guidelines (traffic light system) and nutrition for the residents.

· The proposed changes to the set menu with justification in relation to the facility’s demographic profile, Queensland Health government guidelines (A Better Choice) and the facility’s budgetary constraints.

· How the proposed changes will comply with the Australian Food Safety standards (choose at least two requirements for discussion in the presentation, Chapter 3 of the FSANZ Food Standards Code)

· Describe how the proposed 1-day menu has considered that the facility is placed in a semi-rural area. This will require a brief description of how a regional/rural aged care facility differs from a metropolitan facility, especially in relation food service

· A strong conclusion summarising why the management team should reconsider the food available to residents

· Referencing, both in-text citations and a reference list is required

Marking rubric will be split into 2 sections and multiple categories.

Section 1. Template

Categories:

Food considerations provided in relation to residents’ demographic profile, religion and culture

Proposed 1 day meal plan to accommodate case study’s food preferences and requirements

Energy and macronutrient requirements of case study compared to current 1 day meal plan and proposed 1 day meal plan

Cost of current versus proposed 1 day meal plan

Section 2. Written report

Categories:

Introduction of the topic and key themes

Issues with the current 1-day menu in relation to the case study and suggested changes with justification

How proposed changes comply with food safety standards

How the proposed 1-day menu has considered that the facility is placed in a semi-rural area.

Conclusion - Summary of key points

Formatting

Written expression

Referencing