The initiative was developed by Avery’s head of culinary and hospitality Simon Lawrence and head of dementia care Jo Crossland, in collaboration with Premier Foods. Both residents and care home chefs have welcomed the cutlery-free dining project.
Crossland said: “We work tirelessly to ensure that residents are treated with dignity and respect in every aspect of their lives, and mealtimes are no exception. There are many reasons why a person may have difficulty using cutlery to eat a meal or a snack.
“Conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, arthritis or a stroke can all affect how an individual can manipulate cutlery. Cognitive illnesses, including dementia, can cause a person to have difficulty processing their environment or cause problems with sequencing and coordinating actions.
“In the care home environment, although mealtimes have the potential to be among the most social and positive times of the day, for residents who have difficulty manipulating cutlery, the dining experience can be a problematic event, particularly if the right level of support is not in place.”
Typically residents in care homes who have difficulty using conventional cutlery either need help from others or they are served ‘finger foods’ at mealtimes, including sandwiches, sausage rolls and similar buffet-style dishes. Avery Healthcare said a reliance on this type of food increases the risk of undernourishment.
Lawrence added: “As chefs working in the care sector, it is of fundamental importance that we continue to develop and innovate through our culinary teams.
“We have worked hard to develop strong guidance to ensure that all our chefs can adapt everyday menu choices into cutlery-free meals. With guidance and encouragement, we are limited only by our imagination.”