Long-term Care Dining Simulation

Understanding Orders for Modified Textures for Foods and Fluids
Dietetics, Health Services (LTCA), Nursing, Occupational Therapy Assistant

Students played the roles of nursing home residents, family and staff during a dining room simulation, based on four case studies. Dietetics students prepared the meal, and students were randomly assigned to a meal that was one of the following textures: regular, soft, minced, and pureed. In addition to modified foods, students experienced assisted feeding, adapted feeding utensils and clothing protectors (bibs) while also simulating vision and hearing impairments, tremors and mobility challenges. Each interprofessional student group attempted to solve a problem, such as a resident receiving the wrong food from a family member or residents who are not provided with adapted utensils to feed themselves. Following the meal, student reflections were collected.

Faculty:

• Mary Kay Arvin, OTD, OTR, CHT, assistant professor and chair of Occupational Therapy
• Katie Ehlman, PhD, CHES, HFA, associate professor of Gerontology and director of Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness
• Julie McCullough, PhD, MS, RD, associate professor of Nutrition and chair of Food and Nutrition
• Elizabeth Ramos, MS, RD, instructor in Food and Nutrition

The success and innovation of this interprofessional classroom activity is recognized in a 2016 article, "An Interprofessional Education Nursing Home Dining Simulation Promotes Changes in Student Attitudes," published in Health and Interprofessional Practice (Arvin, Ehlman, McCullough, & Ramos, 2015). Read the article.

Additionally, the two case studies developed in the dining room simulation activity were published in the 2016 edition of a textbook, Effective Management of Long-Term Care Facilities (Douglas A. Singh, PhD, MBA, ISBN-13: 9781284052718).