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 interviewee's 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 interviewee's 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

Student are permitted to use Generative AI for this assessment in the following ways:

• developing literature search strategies
• compiling suitable literature sources and locating data
• guidance for structuring the assignment

If Generative AI is used in any way, it must be cited as per the CQU Guidelines (Academic Learning Centre). If students choose to use generative AI, the following statement must be completed and included on the front page of the uploaded assessment: "I have used (insert technology) to (insert how you used this) in accordance with the requirements of this unit. The reason I used this was to (explain why you used it). The details of how I used it as (insert how). I hereby declare that the submission is an appropriate representation of my individual skills and abilities to meet the requirements of the task/s."

As per academic writing requirements and assessment criteria; citations of information should be of the primary source (i.e. statistics returned by AI must be fact-checked and referenced from their original source as well as the AI source).

Failure to cite primary sources as well as AI sources could be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Your use of Generative AI must be clearly outlined in an appendix as a separate file which includes the prompt used and Generative AI response (in line with marking rubric). Failure to include an appendix may result in academic integrity investigation.

You are the manager of the food service department of a 100-room low-care aged care facility in a rural location, that provides long-term stay for people over the age of 65years. You are passionate about providing the patients 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 10 years. The facilities General Practioner (GP) weighs the residents monthly and she has reported to the facility manager that most residents 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 have been asked by the facility’s manager to provide a report about the changes you propose to enable a better suited menu. You have decided to choose one of the standard days from the current set menu and propose (with justification) the changes you would like to make to the foods provided, based on the general needs and demographics of current residents.

Task Description

You will need to complete the template provided and a written report to Moodle by Monday 18th 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 Cornflakes with low fat milk

Morning Tea: 1 cup canned mixed fruit in syrup, Chocolate chip cookie, Tea/coffee

Lunch: 4 fried spring rolls, hot chips, small salad and soft drink of choice

Afternoon Tea: Tea/coffee, Arnott’s assorted sweet biscuits

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

Supper: Sponge cake with custard, Tea/coffee

Current general demographic of the 100 residents living in the low-care facility

- Average age: 76 years of age, mostly good dentition, and good general health

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

This task will require you to use the following internet web-based databases.

Ø Australian Dietary Guidelines

Ø The Australian Food Composition Database

https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/afcd/Pages/default.aspx

To determine the energy and macronutrient content of the current 1-day meal plan as well as your proposed 1-day meal plan for your case study

Ø Coles online or Woolworths online

https://shop.coles.com.au/a/national/everything/search/coles%20online

https://www.woolworths.com.au/

To determine the cost of the current 1-day meal plan as well as your proposed 1-day meal plan.

Ø The Food Safety standards (Australian)

https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/industry/safetystandards/pages/default.aspx

In particular, Chapter 3, Standard 3.2.2, 3.2.3, 3.3.1

To view the current Food Safety Standards in Australia that all facilities must comply

Ø Healthy food and drinks, a better choice, Queensland Government

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0042/908889/abc-strategy.pdf

Suggested approach to gather information required for this task

1. Use an online supermarket internet site to determine the cost of the 1-day meal plan

2. Use the Australian Food Composition Database to determine the energy and macronutrient content of the 1-day meal plan

3. Use the Queensland Health “Healthy Food & drinks a better choice”, Australian Dietary Guidelines and Australian guide to healthy eating, to determine the proportion of green, amber and red foods in the 1-day meal plan

4. Once you have developed an alternative suggested proposed 1-day meal plan, you will need to complete steps 1. – 3. with the new proposed meal plan

5. Investigate the different considerations between food service in a rural area versus a metropolitan area

The 1000-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 facility’s differ 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

· Please note: Calculations are needed to be shown when determining the nutritional composition of the current set menu and the proposed menu. You will also need to clearly describe the suggested proposed menu. These may be placed in the Appendix.

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

Student are permitted to use Generative AI for this assessment in the following ways:

• developing literature search strategies
• compiling suitable literature sources and locating data
• guidance for structuring the assignment

If Generative AI is used in any way, it must be cited as per the CQU Guidelines (Academic Learning Centre). If students choose to use generative AI, the following statement must be completed and included on the front page of the uploaded assessment: "I have used (insert technology) to (insert how you used this) in accordance with the requirements of this unit. The reason I used this was to (explain why you used it). The details of how I used it as (insert how). I hereby declare that the submission is an appropriate representation of my individual skills and abilities to meet the requirements of the task/s."

As per academic writing requirements and assessment criteria; citations of information should be of the primary source (i.e. statistics returned by AI must be fact-checked and referenced from their original source as well as the AI source).

Failure to cite primary sources as well as AI sources could be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Your use of Generative AI must be clearly outlined in an appendix as a separate file which includes the prompt used and Generative AI response (in line with marking rubric). Failure to include an appendix may result in academic integrity investigation.

The end of term Online Test will cover unit content from all weeks (weeks 1 to 12) and will consist of two parts:

• Part A will include short answer questions on weekly content.
• Part B will include several case studies and you will be required to answer questions relevant to those case studies.

Your test is to be presented in your own words and not a result of collaboration with other students. Any identified cases of potential collusion will result in a breach of academic integrity case being raised.

1. You will have one (1) attempt at this assessment. You will be allowed 135 minutes (2.25 hours) to complete the assessment.
2. The End of Term Online Test consists of two parts – A and B.
3. Part A is worth forty (40) marks and consists of TWENTY (20) questions.
4. Part B is worth eighty (80) marks and consists of questions related to four (4) case studies.
• There are four (4) case studies, each of which is worth a total of twenty (20) marks. Each case study will have multiple questions associated with it which must be answered within the context of the specific case study.
• All case studies and relevant questions must be completed.