The importance of healthy eating and good hydration will be promoted during a week-long series of events being organised by 2gether NHS Foundation Trust.
Annual international Nutrition and Hydration week takes place from March 16 to 22, viagra 60mg to focus attention on the importance of eating and drinking the right things for good health and wellbeing.
Carly Atkinson, prostate who is a Specialist Dietitian and 2gether’s Nutritional Lead, said it was a great way to highlight the importance of these issues to service users, carer and staff.
“What we eat and drink has a huge bearing upon our physical and mental wellbeing,” Carly explained.
“This is why we ensure that the food we provide in our inpatient settings is high quality and nutritious, and we make sure that our service users are regularly given fluids to maintain their hydration levels.
“We also make sure that our staff working in the community speak to service users and carers about nutrition. It’s so important to maintain a healthy diet to support a healthy lifestyle.”
Events taking place within 2gether to mark the week include:
- A ‘Come Dine with Me’ competition throughout the week at Oak House, in Hereford – with a prize for the person who comes up with the most nutritious and delicious menu
- ‘Taster sessions’ for people to sample the new catering menu at the Stonebow Unit, in Hereford
- A ‘bake off challenge’, also at Stonebow, along with a nutrition and hydration quiz and a ‘Friday fluid challenge’ to see how much of the recommended daily amount of fluids people are consuming
- Healthy smoothie making activities will take place in various Trust wards
- At Wotton Lawn Hospital, in Gloucester, the focus will be on cutting back on sugary drinks
- At Charlton Lane Hospital, in Cheltenham, we will be raising awareness of malnutrition and dysphagia, with tasting sessions for altered texture diets and nutrition supplements, along with fruit tasting sessions on the wards
Nutrition and Hydration Week was created by two leading professional associations – the Hospital Caterers Association and National Association of Care Catering.
The mission of the week is to create a global movement to reinforce and focus energy, activity, and engagement on nutrition and hydration as an important part of quality care, experience, and safety improvement in health and social care settings.
For more information about the week visit www.nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk