Dysphagia is the medical name given to problems around swallowing, an issue which can be common in older people, particularly those living with dementia. At Wellford Gardens, we’re passionate in our belief that a condition such as this should not prevent anyone from enjoying the very finest foods. 

The residents of Wellford Gardens represent a broad range of nutritional needs, and our culinary team currently cater to people who are vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, lactose intolerant, shellfish intolerant and living with dysphagia. Our team love the challenge of creating delicious, wholesome meals which also happen to be, for example, dysphagia friendly. 

Our Executive Head Chef, Andy, passionately believes that “a dysphagia diagnosis or allergy should in no way prevent a resident from enjoying the very best food.” Andy’s standard lunch menu has a meat option, vegetarian option and fish option, and he always makes sure he can provide an identical meal for people with a culinary need. 

Andy and the wider catering team have an in-depth knowledge of the nutrition care plans of each resident at Wellford Gardens, and tailor every meal to each resident’s requirements. Meals for residents with dysphagia, for example, are carefully assessed to ensure they meet the specific recommendations of speech and language therapists and are suitable for each resident’s position within the IDDSI framework. 

For Andy, it’s not only about texture, but flavour too. He works tirelessly to create a smorgasbord of different meals which meet the textural requirements of each resident with dysphagia whilst also being delicious. Andy always makes sure that residents with dysphagia first see the dish as it is presented to everyone else, before adapting each component to make it suitable to their needs. Andy particularly enjoys working with brightly coloured, freshly steamed vegetables as these make the plate look colourful and appetising. 

“I don’t want people to end up with a puree that’s like baby food,” said Andy. “It’s so important for the resident living with dysphagia that they can still see what they’re eating as this is a key element for enjoying a meal.” Andy is passionate about adapting any meal on the menu to suit any resident, so that everyone feels included in mealtimes. 

Similarly, Andy gets to know each resident living with dementia and adapts the food on offer to their preferences and routines. Andy is also quick to respond to changes in eating habits, immediately adapting meal plans in response to changes in residents’ tastes. 

The restaurant at Wellford Gardens is designed to be a calm, relaxing environment to help support people living with dementia to feel comfortable eating. The catering team’s commitment to always making sure favourite foods are available is central to our residents’ ongoing health and wellbeing. 

If you’re interested in visiting us at Wellford Gardens, contact us today to book your tour.