CHOICE+ is an innovative program that enhances the mealtime experience for residents in long-term care. It focuses on nurturing relationships and creating comfortable dining environments.
Follow CHOICE+ on Instagram for educational content on dining in LTC homes!
The CHOICE+ program is made up of six principles:
- Connecting: having meaningful conversations and socializing
- Honouring Dignity: respecting decisions, choices and preferences
- Offering Support: supporting residents based on individual needs
- Identity: knowing and accepting residents as unique individuals
- Creating Opportunities: supporting active mealtime participation
- Enjoyment: creating a warm and welcoming dining environment
CHOICE+ Resources
CHOICE+ tools are available online, including two self-assessment checklists and six new online learning modules. Teams can use the CHOICE+ tools to:
- Learn about the CHOICE+ principles and the importance of creating an enjoyable mealtime experience
- Understand their current strengths in supporting residents at mealtimes
- Get ideas of simple strategies to try in their day-to-day practice
- Spark discussion at team meetings and help develop plans for practice change
As part of the CHOICE+ program, online education modules were created to help teams in long-term care understand and work towards achieving the CHOICE+ principles.
The CHOICE+ checklists can be downloaded as PDFs (available in both English and French) by visiting the Research Institute for Aging’s website.
This webinar describes the six principles of the CHOICE+ program and introduces tools and resources that teams in long-term care can start using to make change
Author / Source
CHOICE+ was created by Dr. Heather Keller (Schlegel Research Chair in Nutrition and Aging, University of Waterloo/Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging) and the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging. Development of the CHOICE+ education modules and checklists was supported with funding from the Government of Ontario to the Ontario Centres for Learning, Research, and Innovation in Long-Term Care.
© Copyright 2017 – Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging
Evidence
In a case study evaluation of CHOICE+, the authors investigated how a long-term care (LTC) community transformed its culture of dining from traditional, institutional meals to resident-centered meals and relational dining. See: Ducak, K., Keller, H., and Sweatman, G. (2015), Dining Culture Change in Long-Term Care Homes: Transitioning to Resident-Centre and Relational Dining, Annals of Long-Term Care: Clinical Care and Aging, 2015;23(6): 28-36.
Making the Most of Mealtimes (M3) was the largest study of its kind to explore what residents living in long-term care eat and what factors promote better nutrient intake. The study took place from 2014 to 2016. Information was gathered from over 600 residents, across 32 homes in 4 provinces (Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Ontario). For more information, see the project page or watch the Mealtimes Matter video.
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