Managing & Maintaining Nutrition

Supporting you to eat well and stay hydrated.

Have in mind…

What can be done independently?

What needs prompting?

What needs practical help?

What would happen if support wasn’t received?

Under the Care Act, “managing and maintaining nutrition” is broader than simply preparing food.

Accessing Food & Drink

  • Planning food and shopping lists

  • Shopping and collecting groceries

  • Ordering groceries online

  • Accessing shops and supermarkets

  • Bringing food and drinks home

  • Checking supplies are available

  • Managing food within a budget

  • Finding community food services

  • Planning food and shopping lists

  • Shopping and collecting groceries

  • Ordering groceries online

  • Accessing shops and supermarkets

  • Bringing food and drinks home

  • Checking supplies are available

  • Managing food within a budget

  • Finding community food services

Meal Planning

  • Planning suitable meals

  • Maintaining variety and balance

  • Personal preferences and routines

  • Dietary requirement

  • Understanding food labels

  • Checking use-by dates

  • Planning for reduced appetite

  • Support with memory difficulties

  • Planning suitable meals

  • Maintaining variety and balance

  • Personal preferences and routines

  • Dietary requirement

  • Understanding food labels

  • Checking use-by dates

  • Planning for reduced appetite

  • Support with memory difficulties

Food Preparation

  • Preparing ingredients

  • Washing and chopping food

  • Preparing sandwiches and snacks

  • Cooking meals

  • Using the oven, hob, microwave or other kitchen appliances safely

  • Preparing meals in accordance with dietary requirements

  • Preparing appropriate portion sizes

  • Making hot and cold drink

  • Preparing meals in advance

  • Storing prepared food safely

  • Preparing ingredients

  • Washing and chopping food

  • Preparing sandwiches and snacks

  • Cooking meals

  • Using the oven, hob, microwave or other kitchen appliances safely

  • Preparing meals in accordance with dietary requirements

  • Preparing appropriate portion sizes

  • Making hot and cold drink

  • Preparing meals in advance

  • Storing prepared food safely

Eating & Drinking

  • Remembering to eat and drink

  • Regular mealtimes

  • Prompts and reassurance

  • Adequate intake

  • Confidence at meals

  • Mealtime companionship

  • Encouraging independence

  • Remembering to eat and drink

  • Regular mealtimes

  • Prompts and reassurance

  • Adequate intake

  • Confidence at meals

  • Mealtime companionship

  • Encouraging independence

  • Remembering to eat and drink

  • Regular mealtimes

  • Prompts and reassurance

  • Adequate intake

Physical & Cognitive Support

  • Difficulty standing for long enough to prepare food

  • Difficulty walking around the kitchen

  • Difficulty reaching cupboards or appliances

  • Difficulty opening packaging

  • Difficulty using knives or kitchen equipment

  • Difficulty lifting pans, kettles or plates

  • Difficulty carrying food or drinks

  • Fatigue affecting meal preparation

  • Tremors affecting food preparation or eating

  • Visual impairment affecting food preparation

  • Hearing impairment affecting cooking or kitchen safety

  • Forgetting to eat

  • Forgetting to drink

  • Forgetting that food has been prepared

  • Forgetting how to prepare familiar meals

  • Difficulty following recipes

  • Difficulty sequencing tasks

  • Leaving cooking unattended

  • Repeatedly preparing the same food

  • Eating inappropriate or unsafe food

  • Difficulty recognising when food has spoiled

  • Difficulty recognising hunger or thirst

  • Needing prompts to eat and drink

  • Difficulty standing for long enough to prepare food

  • Difficulty walking around the kitchen

  • Difficulty reaching cupboards or appliances

  • Difficulty opening packaging

  • Difficulty using knives or kitchen equipment

  • Difficulty lifting pans, kettles or plates

  • Difficulty carrying food or drinks

  • Fatigue affecting meal preparation

  • Tremors affecting food preparation or eating

  • Visual impairment affecting food preparation

  • Hearing impairment affecting cooking or kitchen safety

  • Forgetting to eat

  • Forgetting to drink

  • Forgetting that food has been prepared

  • Forgetting how to prepare familiar meals

  • Difficulty following recipes

  • Difficulty sequencing tasks

  • Leaving cooking unattended

  • Repeatedly preparing the same food

  • Eating inappropriate or unsafe food

  • Difficulty recognising when food has spoiled

  • Difficulty recognising hunger or thirst

  • Needing prompts to eat and drink

  • Difficulty standing for long enough to prepare food

  • Difficulty walking around the kitchen

  • Difficulty reaching cupboards or appliances

  • Difficulty opening packaging

  • Difficulty using knives or kitchen equipment

  • Difficulty lifting pans, kettles or plates

  • Difficulty carrying food or drinks

  • Fatigue affecting meal preparation

  • Tremors affecting food preparation or eating

  • Visual impairment affecting food preparation

  • Hearing impairment affecting cooking or kitchen safety

Social & Emotional Wellbeing

  • Loss of confidence around cooking

  • Eating alone

  • Social isolation affecting eating

  • Loss of interest in food

  • Anxiety around food preparation

  • Encouraging someone to eat

  • Providing companionship during meals

  • Encouraging someone to continue eating independently where possible

  • Helping maintain enjoyable mealtime routines

  • Loss of confidence around cooking

  • Eating alone

  • Social isolation affecting eating

  • Loss of interest in food

  • Anxiety around food preparation

  • Encouraging someone to eat

  • Providing companionship during meals

  • Encouraging someone to continue eating independently where possible

  • Helping maintain enjoyable mealtime routines

  • Loss of confidence around cooking

  • Eating alone

  • Social isolation affecting eating

  • Loss of interest in food

  • Anxiety around food preparation

The Care Act 2014

The Care Act 2014 is the main law that governs adult social care in England. It came into effect in April 2015 and brought together much of the previous legislation governing care and support.

In simple terms, it sets out what local authorities must do to assess, support and protect adults who may have care and support needs, as well as the rights of carers.

Read here (opens in new tab)