Food in hospice plays a larger role than you may think! Eating the right meals and receiving proper nutritional support while in hospice can help manage symptoms. At iServe Hospice, our dietitians are important in supporting our patients and ensuring they have a meal plan tailored to their specific needs.
What is a Hospice Dietitian?
The hospice dietician is a member of the care team who can help manage patients’ symptoms using long-term nutritional support. Eating the right foods and nutrients can have a positive effect on managing patient symptoms.
Food should be nutritional and enjoyable. Our hospice dietitian ensures this to promote a healthy attitude toward eating. We find that this patient-first approach helps keep patients comfortable and their time more enjoyable.
The Different Roles of a Hospice Dietitian
A hospice dietician has more roles and functions to aid the patient’s physical and emotional well-being than just planning meals.
- Nutritional assessment and meal planning. One of the main roles of a hospice dietician is to help plan the patients’ meals according to their specific nutritional needs. They will consider factors such as medical history, current condition, eating issues, and reasons for loss of appetite.
- Counseling and education. Dietitians will help ensure patients receive the correct nutrition by educating the patient and their family on the best meals to eat, the right meal preparation, and safe eating practices. This also includes counseling the family and caregivers about the link between food and emotional distress, as some foods can be linked to comfort while others may end up being harmful.
- Patient advocacy. While certain nutritional factors need to be met, dieticians will also make sure the patient is still happy and doesn’t feel like food is a chore or an unwelcome experience. At iServe Hospice, our hospice dietitian will work with our care team to ensure that everyone is happy with the meal plan. This will include listening to the patient’s likes and dislikes.
