VfL has introduced three new resources to help older vegans and vegetarians in care homes to communicate with staff about their dietary preferences. Our clear and easy to understand Talking Mats, menu cards and menu book facilitate discussion and menu choice.
Talking Mats
Talking Mats was developed to improve the eating and drinking experiences of older vegans and vegetarians living in residential or nursing care. It can especially help residents with communication difficulties, and support people with conditions such as dementia and stroke.
This new resource was researched and designed by speech and language therapists to help people to think through choices and to express their views in a visual way.
A Talking Mat typically consists of a physical mat divided into sections or categories, and uses symbols or images to represent different topics within a conversation. It has four food-related topics with specially designed symbols: Values; Lifestyle; My Dietary Choice; My Eating Experience. Corresponding symbols or images on cards can be placed on the mat – individuals express their preferences by pointing to or placing these cards where they like. This allows them to participate in the dining process.
For care homes interested in introducing the Talking Mats system, VfL recommends foundation training, either face-to-face or online, which demonstrates how to support older people with communication difficulties.
For more information, please visit: vegetarianforlife.org.uk/pages/talking-mats
Vegan and Vegetarian Care Home Menu Book
Our illustrated menu book also helps people working in the care sector communicate with their residents, and gives older people more control over their diet.
This clear, easily understandable book allows vegan and vegetarian residents to point to dishes and to make clear choices within sections on Drinks, Breakfast, Lighter Meals, Snacks/Afternoon Tea, Dinner, Puddings, and Regional/Celebration Meals. Each page contains clear illustrations to allow the resident to choose and state their preference. Their choices could range from deciding what to have for a cooked breakfast, to expressing a preference for a vegan milk.
A flip-sheet allows staff to cover certain options. For example, it can be used to conceal non-vegan choices to a vegan resident, or to cover dishes that aren’t available at your particular care home.
The Vegan & Vegetarian Care Home Menu Book will improve communication between staff and residents, and give residents greater choice at mealtimes. Available in our shop.
Enhancing communication and well-being for vegetarians in care homes
VfL has published a pack of handy menu cards to enable residents to prepare their own snacks with staff support. These easy to-follow guides promote choice, allow residents greater independence and help ensure they follow a healthy and varied diet.
The pack contains fourteen quick and simple recipes, which use minimal equipment – we even include an equipment checklist to help carers plan at a glance. The cards could also be used as a care home cookery activity.
Preparation and cooking time is typically less than 30 minutes – if you're planning a group activity, this allows plenty of time for residents to eat together and socialise afterwards. Recipes include Cheat's Pizza with a light puff pastry base, Take V Burger featuring a Portobello mushroom and mashed sweet potato, a rich Banana and Peanut Butter Milkshake, and a favourite for afternoon tea – Flapjack. The pack even includes a food-growing card with a tasty idea for the fresh produce – an easy, fun project care home staff and residents can enjoy together.
The menu cards are available to buy in our shop.