Good nutrition is one of the most powerful determinants of health and wellbeing in older age, yet it is one of the first things to deteriorate when living alone becomes challenging. Meal preparation from Wisteria is about cooking in someone's kitchen, using their ingredients, following their recipes.
What is Meal Preparation?
Meal preparation involves a carer coming into the home and preparing fresh, nutritious meals according to the client's preferences, dietary requirements and cultural background. This is different from meal delivery, our carers cook in your kitchen, to your taste. For clients with swallowing difficulties, texture-modified meals can be prepared under speech pathology guidance.
What's included
Who benefits from this service?
Meal preparation is valuable for older adults who can no longer stand at a stove safely, who struggle with the cognitive sequencing required for cooking, who lack motivation to cook for one, or whose appetite has declined, especially those with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart failure or swallowing difficulties.
How it works
Dietary assessment
We document food preferences, allergies, cultural requirements and medical dietary needs.
Meal planning
We work with the client and family to plan weekly meals, familiar favourites and medically appropriate options.
Regular cooking visits
Daily, a few times weekly, or weekly batch cooking. The client is as involved as they want to be.
Nutrition monitoring
Changes in appetite, weight or food intake are reported to the care team.
🩺 Clinical note: Malnutrition and dehydration are serious risks in older adults, associated with falls, hospitalisation and poor wound healing. Our carers are trained to notice early warning signs.