Sharron says the food is ‘very tasty’ since her aged care home completed training
Sharron Holmes has lived at Heywood Rural Health’s aged care home for the past 5 years. Before moving in, she would often stay for respite care.
‘I have seen a lot of changes in the dining experience. It has improved greatly to when I used to come here on respite.’
Sharron thinks there has been more positive change since Heywood Rural Health started training with the Maggie Beer Foundation. The Department of Health and Aged Care has partnered with the foundation to deliver free training to the aged care sector.
‘Now we have a chef that's trying to do things with the Maggie Beer training. The food they are turning out is really, really nice,’ Sharron says.
Sharron appreciates the new focus on flavourful and made-from-scratch meals. Two of her favourites are beef stroganoff and chicken schnitzels.
‘It was very bland before, but now I'm finding it's very tasty. You don't need to add any salt or pepper,’ says Sharron.
‘The chicken schnitzels have changed. Before, they were buying processed ones. Now they’re doing their own.’
Sharron believes you ‘eat with your eyes’. Her meals are more visually appetising since her aged care home started the training.
‘You open the lid of your lunch and say, “Oh doesn't that look nice?”’
The kitchen team are focusing on arranging food on the plate to create a flow for the eyes to follow. They’re also separating food, so residents know what they’re eating.
Sharron is a resident advocate and consumer advisory committee member. She’s happy with how residents’ feedback is being taken on board since the training. Working with residents on their food preferences is required under the new food and nutrition Quality Standard under the new Aged Care Act from 1 July 2025.
‘If you want something, you ask for it. Then they will try their very best to accommodate you. This is what I find very, very good with the kitchen here,’ Sharron says.
All residents can come to regular food forums, try new foods the kitchen wants to add to the menu and share their feedback. Residents can also suggest different food and drink ideas. The kitchen team then updates the menu.
‘We suggest what we want. It's usually within a couple of weeks that it's all been finalised in the kitchen,’ Sharron says.
Following a food forum, the kitchen introduced berry smoothies and banana smoothies. These have become a favourite snack with residents.
The ability to eat and drink when they want is important to residents. Residents can ask for foods and drinks, including these smoothies, at any time of day.
‘If you want something special or particular that you feel like eating, then they'll get it for you. So, we have a good rapport with the kitchen here.’
Training has increased social events around food to improve the dining experience. The lifestyle team run regular cooking sessions and Sharron attends the food events for special occasions, like Christmas, and barbecues for New Year’s and Australia Day.
‘I look forward to every event we have here. We have quite a lot – each week the calendar’s full,’ says Sharron.
‘We’re given a choice and the chefs always say to us, “What do we want to see on the barbecues?” The spare rib was absolutely beautiful.’
Sharron thinks there is still room for improvement in the dining experience. Residents currently dine across two smaller rooms. In future, Sharron would like all residents to dine together in the one room.
She’s comfortable raising this suggestion. ‘If they don’t like my feedback: too bad, so sad.’
Overall, Sharron’s impressed by the changes underway.
‘Nothing happens overnight. It's a work in progress and it's really getting there. It's great.’
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