What is life without choice? We all make choices every day that enrich our lives. What shall I watch on the TV? What shoes shall I wear? What colour shall I dye my hair? Life is full of choices, and one of the decisions we are presented with daily is, ‘what are we having for lunch or dinner later?’
Outside of childhood, ‘what to eat’ is a decision that often takes a lot of deliberation. Whether stood in a supermarket isle, staring blankly at the options for a homecooked dinner or sat down at a candle lit restaurant squinting to make out the wording hidden within the font; satisfying our hunger is a decision none of us take lightly.
There are ethical, environmental, health, lifestyle, and religious reasons for choosing a vegetarian or vegan diet. Whatever the personal justification for not eating meat, it is important that people are supported to be able to carry on eating however they want.
At Edenmore Nursing Home we always support members of our family to continue to follow their dietary wishes and life choices and our chefs ensure that no meal is ever on a table that compromises a person’s beliefs or values.
While a person is travelling on their journey with dementia, they may find communicating their wishes and wants far more difficult.
When a new member of the family moves into Edenmore, the team make it their mission to learn everything about their identity, past occupation, beliefs, values and interests. This allows for a person’s lifelong eating habits and preferences to continue. Think of it this way, do you change your eating habits just because you move house?
Edenmore Nursing Home share a partnership with Vegetarian for Life (VfL), the leading authority on diet and healthy living advice for older vegans and vegetarians. They aim to improve the standard of vegan and vegetarian catering in care settings. Edenmore Nursing Home are committed to guaranteeing that anyone who chooses to make Edenmore their home is able to indulge on whatever foods match their cultural, ethical, and environmental beliefs.
Understanding a person’s eating preferences and subsequently enabling choice is only made possible by the Edenmore teams’ dedication to learning all about a person’s life and identity. The feelings of wellbeing and comfort that can be achieved by valuing each person in our home as an individual are insurmountable.
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