title: Menu Planning in Residential Aged Care-The Level of Choice and Quality of Planning of Meals Available to Residents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Choice of food is an imperative aspect of quality of life for residents in Residential Aged Care Homes (RACHs), where overall choice and control is diminished upon entering a home to receive care. The purpose of this study was to examine the current strategies of menu planning in a range of RACHs in Australia, and whether this facilitated appropriate levels of choice for residents receiving texture modified and general diets.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised a National Menu Survey using a new survey instrument collecting general information about the RACH and foodservice system, menu information and staffing information (n = 247); a national menu analysis (n = 161) and an observational case study of 36 meal environments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Choice was low for the entire sample, but particularly for those receiving pureed texture modified diets. Evidence of menu planning to facilitate the inclusion of choice and alternatives was limited.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regulation and monitoring of the Australian Aged Care Accreditation Standards needs to be strengthened to mandate improvement of the choice and variety offered to residents, particularly those on pureed texture modified diets. Further research on how menu choice and a lack of variety in meals affects the quality of life residents is needed in this context, but current evidence suggests the effect would be detrimental and undermine resident autonomy and nutritional status.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Dietetics Research, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia QLD 4072, Australia. karen.abbey@live.com.au.
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Abbey
authors.affiliation: Centre for Dietetics Research, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia QLD 4072, Australia. o.wright@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Olivia R L
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Centre for Dietetics Research, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia QLD 4072, Australia. s.capra@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Capra
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005511:Food Handling; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D062407:Meals; D008612:Menu Planning / Q000592:standards; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009753:Nutritive Value; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Aged Care Standards; choice; menu planning; quality