The Commission does targeted assessment contacts to monitor food, nutrition and dining at residential aged care services.
Our targeted supervision of aged care services is based on this monitoring. Targeted assessment contacts also work alongside our risk-based performance assessment and monitoring.
For more information on risk-based performance assessment and monitoring:
These targeted assessment contacts are done onsite. Some visits include a dietitian or speech pathologist from our Food, Nutrition and Dining Advisory Support Unit. These specialists provide subject matter expertise.
What happens during a targeted assessment?
During a targeted assessment contact we:
- speak with people receiving care, their family and representatives to understand their experiences
- observe mealtimes and the dining environment
- speak with management, clinical, care and hospitality staff
- review related documents.
We don’t tell you we are going to do a food, nutrition and dining targeted assessment contact before we visit. You can read more about the way we do our assessment contacts in our regulatory bulletin on assessment contacts in residential and home services.
Resources and support
You can use our food, nutrition and dining resources to help you deliver high quality and enjoyable food and dining for people receiving aged care.
Our Food, nutrition and dining page for providers has information on the 4 priority areas:
- dining experience
- eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties
- choice
- oral health.
It also covers areas like:
- supporting people living with dementia to eat and drink well
- cultural considerations in food, nutrition and dining.
Sharing success
We have a collection of success stories and tips to help inspire and guide providers on what has worked well in other services on our Food for thought page.
For more information on the Targeted Assessment Contact program or for support to deliver an enjoyable food and dining experience, please contact the Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline on 1800 844 044, 9 am to 5 pm (AEST), Monday to Friday.
