March is National Nutrition Month®, an annual campaign led by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to promote informed food choices and healthy habits. This year’s theme, “Food Connects Us,” highlights the role of nutrition in bringing people together.
For this week’s focus, “Connect with a Nutrition Expert,” long term care dietitians can take the lead in engaging residents, staff, and families in meaningful discussions about food, health, and well-being.
In nursing homes and long term care facilities, dietitians play a very important yet very little is understood of our role.
We’re truly focused on not just improving the residents’ nutrition, but also play key roles in:
- Preventing, treating and monitoring malnutrition
- Wound care nutrition
- Menu planning
- Chronic disease management
- Tube feeding
- Fielding family and resident concerns about food
- Some are nutrition and food services managers
- End of life care including loved ones support
- Educating loved ones on nutrition support
The list could go on and on. This week presents the perfect opportunity for dietitians to step into the spotlight, build relationships, and showcase the impact of their work.
If you want a list of what a long term care dietitians job includes, check out this article ‘The Job of Long Term Care Dietitian’.
15 Ways to Celebrate Week 2 of National Nutrition Month
It can be tough coming up with ideas on how to celebrate national nutrition month in long term care and healthcare facilities. So here are 15 ways that you can plan some great events this week to showcase connecting with you!
1. Host a “Meet Your Dietitian” Q&A Session
Hold an informal gathering where residents, families, and staff can ask nutrition-related questions. Topics might include meal modifications, tips for managing diabetes, liberalizing diets, or hydration strategies. Keep it conversational to encourage engagement.
2. One-on-One Nutrition Check-Ins
Offer brief individual check-ins for residents to discuss their nutrition concerns. These sessions can be used to address personal dietary preferences, digestion issues, or weight changes. You can put up posters around the facility and give family members and residents alike the chance to sit down and chat with you.
Try to host this somewhere that is private but also in an area where they can find you easily.
3. “Ask the Dietitian” Bulletin Board
Create a space where residents and staff can post anonymous nutrition questions. The dietitian can post answers each day to keep the conversation going. You can go around your facility and ask residents for their ideas about questions they may have.
Chances are if one resident has a question, it’s on the mind of a few of them. Put together some posters with the questions and your answers. Keep the writing big and bold so it can easily be read. Pick the top 5 most common questions you’ve been asked.
4. “What Does a Dietitian Do?” Info Session
Many residents and staff may not fully understand the role of a dietitian. Host a short, engaging presentation explaining how dietitians support residents’ health, advocate for personalized nutrition plans, and collaborate with the care team.
You can plan a few of these, maybe drop in to a therapeutic recreation event to chat with residents about what you do. Make it so they can engage and find out more about what you do!
5. Meal Rounds with the Dietitian
During mealtimes, visit tables to chat with residents about their favorite foods, answer nutrition questions, and get feedback on meal preferences. This also allows for real-time education and rapport building.
Residents love when someone comes and sit with them and engages. Choose a different unit and floor each day of the week and just get to know the residents better. Allow them to put a face to the title that you carry.
6. Dietitian Office Hours
Set up specific times when residents and staff can drop by to ask questions about nutrition, special diets, or supplements. Make it welcoming with a sign-in sheet and light refreshments.
This is a great way to get to know residents and their loved ones. This can even be something that you carry through to a regular basis, not just nutrition month.
7. “Nutrition Myth Busting” Discussion
Host a small-group discussion where you debunk common nutrition myths. Bring visual aids and easy-to-understand handouts to explain topics like sugar alternatives, protein needs, and hydration myths.
This can be a staff and/or resident event. Sometimes it’s good to hold these events and use it as a time with staff where you dispel some myths. After the event make a handout that highlights the information you talked about and post it around your facility.
Some great myth busting ideas are:
- Malnutrition is related to Albumin levels (VERY often talked about)
- When to consult a Dietitian
- How often a Dietitian monitors weight
- Liberalized diets (anything about this is a great idea!)
- Dispelling Diabetes diets in long term care (when are they appropriate and not)
8. Staff Training: “How to Spot Malnutrition”
Educate nursing and caregiving staff on the early signs of malnutrition and how they can work with the dietitian to improve resident outcomes. Provide real-world examples and quick intervention tips.
Also educate them on when to consult the dietitian and when to review your chart notes.
9. “A Day in the Life of a Dietitian” Poster or Newsletter Feature
Create a visual display showing what a dietitian does daily in a long term care setting. This can include assessing residents, planning menus, and working with the kitchen team to meet special dietary needs.
You can even give a list with the top 15 things that you do in a week, this can really highlight the value that you provide to a facility. Don’t forget to send this as a newsletter out to your management team as well! They may not ask because they have a lot going on, but it can really help everyone know what a great team member you are!
10. Dietitian-Led Meal Planning for Residents
Offer residents the chance to participate in meal planning by discussing menu choices with the dietitian. Gather feedback on what they like and dislike to improve meal satisfaction.
Give them information on everything that you have to take into account when planning the menu! Sometime they aren’t fully aware of just how much work it is to plan a meal for hundreds of residents with all different tastes.
11. “Meet the Dietitian” Lunch Table
Set up a designated table in the dining room where residents can sit with the dietitian during meals. This provides a relaxed environment to talk about food preferences, digestive issues, and general nutrition questions.
12. Family Education Session: “Nutrition for Aging Loved Ones”
Invite family members for an educational session on how to support their loved one’s nutrition needs. Cover topics like preventing unintentional weight loss, choosing high-protein snacks, and how you manage meeting the needs of all the residents.
It can really help family members to understand how much effort you truly put into meeting the needs of their loved ones. Sometimes they don’t understand the efforts that you really go to to help out each and every person.
13. Interactive “Reading a Nutrition Label” Demo
Set up a demonstration where residents and staff can learn how to interpret nutrition labels, focusing on sodium, fiber, and protein. Make it hands-on by bringing actual food packages for practice.
14. Social Media or Newsletter Feature: “Ask the Dietitian”
For facilities with a website or newsletter, feature a “Q&A with the Dietitian” section. Answer common questions from residents and staff in an engaging, easy-to-read format.
This can also be done via e-mail to family members of residents. You may have to talk to management about how to connect with everyone this way, but it’s a great way to get your message across in mass.
15. Dietitian-Led Hydration Challenge
Encourage residents to track their water intake with a fun challenge. The dietitian can provide personalized hydration goals and tips for staying hydrated.
You can also get their input on the best ways that THEY want to get more hydration in. The best ideas always come from people directly involved. You can even ask staff members to give suggestions on how they think increasing hydration in residents can be done better.
Final Thoughts
National nutrition month is a great time for dietitians to connect directly with residents, staff, and families in long term care. These activities highlight the role of the dietitian, promote nutrition education, and encourage collaboration for better health outcomes.
By fostering these connections, dietitians can continue to make a lasting impact on residents’ well-being beyond just this celebratory week. I love using national nutrition month to truly engage with people. Sometimes this one month where nutrition is truly the focus can last for a fully year.
Is there anything that you do especially for this month?
Check back next week for the weekly focus for national nutrition month!
Michelle Saari is a Registered Dietitian based in Canada. She has a Master's Degree in Human Nutritional Sciences and is a passionate advocate for spreading easy to understand, reliable, and trustworthy nutrition information. She is currently a full time online entrepreneur with two nutrition focused websites.
