New service supports nutrition for people living with dementia
TPCH Senior Dietitian Hannah Rigby
A new clinic at The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH) is providing specialist nutrition advice for those living with dementia and their loved ones.
The newly established Memory Diet Clinic provides specialised nutritional care for people living with dementia at all stages of the condition, alongside dedicated support for their loved ones and carers.
The clinic is the outcome of a co-designed project that explored the barriers and enablers to effective nutritional care for people with dementia.
The service was developed collaboratively by a multidisciplinary team of geriatricians, dietitians, nurses and individuals with lived experience of dementia, ensuring the model of care is both clinically robust and person-centred.
TPCH senior dietitian and project lead Hannah Rigby said the new initiative was responding to a clear service gap.
“We identified significant barriers to people with dementia accessing appropriate nutritional care, largely due to a lack of services tailored to their specific needs,” Hannah said.
Care frequently falls to family members and carers, and mealtimes can be particularly challenging due to the complex changes associated with dementia.
“Our service aims to improve understanding of these changes, reduce stress around nutrition, and ultimately support patients while empowering those who care for them,” she said.
“Our clinic is led by dietitians with extensive experience in geriatric care. We recognise that the patient experience is important and that meaningful support for loved ones and carers is essential.”
Hannah said the clinic primarily provided care to people with dementia still living at home with the dietitians tailoring the care provided to the stage of the disease.
“This can range from advice for loved ones and carers on how to best approach mealtimes and strategies to optimise the home and dining space to minimise distraction and encourage oral intake,” she said.
“Depending on the patient’s nutritional concern, a nutritional supplement or food fortification tips may be suitable, in addition to finding the most appropriate pre-made meals delivery option, to assist those who may have difficulties with meal preparation.
“Nutrition is a vital yet often overlooked aspect of dementia management. This project has hopefully created a space where those conversations about food and nutrition can happen more effectively.”