Food Matters
Our catering team not only support the individual dietary needs of the children, young adults and families cared for by Naomi House & Jacksplace, but they take every opportunity to enhance their wellbeing through a variety of experiences with food.
Accommodating special dietary needs
The catering team are committed to accommodating the special dietary needs of those who visit our hospices. Before visiting, assessments are carried out by the care team to identify individual needs, ensuring they are aware of any allergies, intolerances, cultural preferences and favourite and least favourite foods and drinks. Whether they eat orally, or via a gastrostomy tube, our team offer freshly blended meals, which can often be difficult to obtain in other places. Food and drinks are prepared in a variety of ways such as small taster meals, sensory meals, pureed, blended, and sieved.
Food plays a crucial role in enhancing quality of life. Cultivating an interest in nutrition supports people in making empowered choices and socialising around a dining table with friends and family, with no given expectations, can provide relaxing and fun experiences. Getting your hands messy and having delicious, safe, nutritious, and personalised meals, are a priority at Naomi House & Jacksplace and we believe this approach to food adds to an environment where children, young adults and their families feel supported and cared for during their stay.
Naomi House & Jacksplace is committed to providing a diet tailored to each child or young adult’s needs, ensuring they receive compassionate and holistic support during their time at the hospices, promoting a sense of safety, dignity and comfort.
Food as a Sensory Experience
We like to create a variety of ways for children and young adults to experience food through their different senses. Food is fun and can positively impact physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing. Enjoyable sensory experiences aids digestion and absorption of nutrients and can help manage symptoms such as nausea or aversions.
Our kitchens are at the heart of our hospices and those who visit will experience a range of smells, noises and conversations coming from them. With freshly baked cakes cooling or a curry simmering on the stove, there’s real anticipation of the meals being prepared. This is so important, as having meals freshly prepared close to our activity hubs helps to stimulate the appetites of anyone close by.
If a child is unable to eat or taste, they might be able to use their sense of smell, and our Play & Activities Team will arrange a variety of activities that will stimulate the senses and make each activity enjoyable. We can help create a piece of art which might be bright and colourful, but we can also put different spices and essences in the paint so that whilst the child or young adult is creating the painting it enhances that sensory experience.
There are children and young adults who can’t or don’t wish to eat orally but they can still experiment with the textures and the smells and even create a piece of art with it. By making the contact with food fun, we are allowing them to experience it in a positive way.
Find out more about play at Naomi House & Jacksplace here
Fostering Independence and Control
Encouraging children and young adults to choose foods can help them feel a sense of control and independence and respects their dignity and individuality. Choosing and learning to prepare food teaches valuable life skills such as planning and organisation, and can help develop fine motor skills, all of which can boost their self-esteem and confidence. We have a range of facilities and equipment that can be adapted to an individual’s needs, for example, the height of our kitchen work top at Jacksplace can be adjusted to make it more accessible, and we have adaptable cooking utensils and accessible switches. Adapting to an individuals dexterity ensures they can create their ideas within their own capability.
Developing skills is key to building independence and our catering team regularly work in collaboration with our Play & Activities team to introduce cooking to the children and young adults.
Recently, the young adults staying at Jacksplace asked to create a KFC-styled chicken shop. Working in collaboration with the Play & Activities Team and the Catering Team, they created their own business, developed the menu, name, branding, marketing and costings. The meals were served to families and staff at the hospices, and the event was a great success. The whole event gave the young adults the opportunity to use their creativity and have many positive conversations about their experience.
Find out more about our chicken shop event here
Social Benefits
While staying in Naomi House & Jacksplace families can share a meal without having to plan or prepare the meal themselves. Their child may have a complex diet, and they appreciate the chance to take a break from the daily food preparation, knowing that the catering team will take care of this for them, while looking after their child’s individual needs. Parents or carers can sit with other families in a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere, where they can share experiences and offer mutual support.
Throughout the year, we have occasions where we prepare specially themed food. We bake valentine cookies, pancakes, Easter cakes and organise events around Jestival (our Jacksplace festival), Halloween, and bonfire night, culminating in a New Year’s Eve party. Our catering team will involve children and young adults in the planning and preparation of the food and our Play & Activities team will include the mealtimes in their schedule for the occasion. Mealtimes can be social events where bonds are strengthened between family members and peers.
I really enjoy interacting with everyone – when we cook together, we talk and open up a bit more. When I cooked burgers with our Boys’ Group, they really enjoyed the experience. We all chatted and learnt more about the food and cooking process. The boys commented on the smells and the sizzling sounds and were really engaged with the whole activity. We make cooking fun!
Find out more about our Boys’ Group event here
We provide a homely environment at Naomi House & Jacksplace which creates a sense of comfort and safety, giving people the confidence to embrace the experiences we offer.