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  7. Explain how to promote adequate nutrition and hydration

Explain how to promote adequate nutrition and hydration

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This page is designed to answer the following questions:

NOTE: This page has been quality assured for 2023 as per our Quality Assurance policy.

As a care worker, it is your responsibility to promote proper nutrition and hydration to the individuals that you support, especially those that are unable to do this themselves (e.g. due to restricted mobility, limited mental capacity etc.).

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This should begin with a person-centred approach, whereby the individual and other relevant parties such as the individual’s family or dietitian are consulted to assess their nutrition and hydration requirements. This will include their likes, dislikes, special dietary requirements and allergies. All this information should be recorded in the individual’s care plan so that all care staff have access to the information.

Some things that may need to be taken into consideration are:

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  • Is the individual a vegetarian or vegan?
  • Are there any particular foods/drinks that an individual likes or dislikes?
  • Are they able to prepare food and drink for themselves or do they require assistance?
  • Are they able to shop for their own food and drink or do they require assistance?
  • Are they able to cut up their food for themselves or do they require assistance?
  • Can they feed themselves or do they require assistance?
  • Do their religious beliefs prevent them from eating certain foods or eating at certain times?
  • Do they have any allergies?
  • Do they have any health conditions that may affect their eating and drinking? e.g. high blood pressure, diabetes etc.
  • Are they under/overweight?
  • Do they regularly forget to eat?
  • Do they have their own teeth or properly-fitted dentures?

Promoting adequate nutrition or hydration may mean that you have to assist an individual with their shopping, prepare and cook their food and/or regularly supply them with drinks. You may also have to cut up their food for them or assist them with eating.

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As well as practical tasks, it may also be necessary to support them in their choices. For example, if an individual is obese and wants an unhealthy sugary snack you may need to remind them that it is unhealthy and may be damaging to them and perhaps offer an alternative healthy snack instead.

However, we must remember that unless there are mitigating circumstances we should always ensure that an individual’s right to choice is maintained. If the obese individual in the example above were to choose to have a sugary snack after you’ve explained the risks then you should respect the individual’s decision.

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