A resource manual for staff working in pension-level Supportive Residential Services [18.05.2011]

Nutrition Australia (Victoria) has been given a grant of $57,500 to develop and produce a resource manual for staff working in pension-level Supportive Residential Services. Pension-level Supportive Residential Services (SRSs) cater for people who can no longer live independently at home but may not necessarily be elderly. These people are generally mobile but need assistance with daily tasks. SRSs are usually privately owned and do not receive government funding, however, they must be registered and uphold minimum standards of care as set by the Victorian Government. Residents of pension-level SRSs are much more likely to be male, younger and with psychiatric, intellectual, acquired brain injury, or drug/alcohol disabilities than those living in above-pension SRSs.

The goal of the project is to improve the health of these residents in order to encourage quality of life, healthy ageing and improve the management of chronic conditions. Nutrition Australia (Vic) will create a resource manual for pension-level SRS staff to use for evaluating the appropriateness of their menus and making sustainable healthy changes to food service. The manual will include help with identifying food and nutrition needs, menu planning and guidelines, sample menus, recipe makeovers, food safety and hygiene, and other relevant subjects. The manual will be printed and distributed free of charge to all 66 pension-level SRSs in Victoria.