Imagine home cooked meals like you had at home…tasty, flavoursome, and made with love. Well this is what Meracare offers on a daily basis. If you take a look at our two homes Carrum Downs Nursing Home and Frankston Nursing Home, fresh tasty food that coincides with your food choices and preferences are the norm here are Meracare.

The Aged Care sector undergoes very strict food safety audits as we deliver food to very vulnerable people. Meracare’s kitchen staff all have a food handling certificate and are well versed in delivering a high standard of service to our residents. Along side our staff we have fully equipped kitchens able to cater for large numbers. But one of the most important aspects of our kitchen is our menu as this gives our residents the dignity and independence, to chose the food they prefer to eat on a daily basis.

Meracare’s menu starts with consultation with our residents where they inform us of their likes and dislikes. Through this consultation process we gain valuable insight into their choices and preferences for the menu. It is this process that enables our residents “to make informed choices about their care and services, and live the life they choose” (Australian Government: Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Guidance and Resources for Providers to support the Aged Care Quality Standards. P. 6) Meracare also holds focus food meetings 4 times per year as each seasonal menu changes to ensure preferences are met.

The menu is scrutinised and critiqued and a selection of food choices is formed that resembles choice and preferences of our residents. A final menu is then created and sent to an external nutritionist for review “to ensure enough nutrition us provided to maintain life and good health and reduce the risks of malnutrition” (Australian Government: Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Guidance and Resources for Providers to support the Aged Care Quality Standards. P. 108)

Meracare has a long-established relationship with local butchers, markets, all of which are small operators whom we get our fresh produce from. It is not uncommon to see fresh boxes of fruit, vegetables and meat coming in the kitchen door. Having fresh food and enjoying the benefits of having our very own cooks enables our residents to eat the food that has been cooked today, nothing is frozen and reheated which is a massive bonus for our residents. Think of all those added flavour and nutrients that you get when food is cooked fresh.

Meracare hopefully is leading the way with delivering fresh, home cooked meals that are tailored to our resident’s choices and preferences. We hope to continue our consultation process and ensure that everyone has a balanced nutritional meal and ensure that we source the best ingredients through local avenues.  

Written By: Melanie Zwagerman

Resources:

Australian Government: Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. (2019) Guidance and Resources for providers to support the Aged Care Quality Standards. Retrieved from Australian Government: Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission website: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/resources/guidance-and-resources-aged-care-quality-standards-providers

Meracare offers residential aged care and respite care in Carrum Downs and Frankston, Victoria Australia. Meracare has a long history of looking after and caring for the elderly. We know aged care well.

Here at Meracare we have a desire and passion to help and care for the elderly. Our standing principle is to help and retain our resident’s independence for as long as possible, its this core philosophy that makes our homes such a pleasure to live in.

We have long standing staff here at Meracare! 18 years for some in fact. We pride ourselves having staff that are approachable, caring and professional, this gives you or your loved one reassurance that you are in good hands and will be well looked after. This reflects in the care and also helps to bring a harmonious workplace as all our staff have by in to your future and care. There is nothing better than knowing that you are greeted with the same face everyday!

Our philosophy of care underpins our care model, we believe this is what’s sets us apart from other homes. We have an onsite Registered nurse 24 hours a day 7 days a week, together with Enrolled Endorsed Nurses who oversee your medications, care and complex care needs. Personal carers attend to your day to day management together with hospitality, domestic, lifestyle and maintenance staff. There is always someone to help you and assist you with your needs.

Meracare offers short and long stay respite, DVA respite and permanent care for high and low care clientele. We can offer day respite if required and have repeat respite customers who book in regularly throughout the year.

Our homes offer physiotherapy, podiatry, optometry, dentistry, speech pathology, audiology and nutrition services on a regular basis to ensure our residents receive the best care available to them.

The food at Meracare we pride ourselves on having fresh, local and homemade food. Although we do buy chips for fish and chips Friday! We have cooks and kitchen hands that work 7 days a week and know your likes and dislikes. They go that extra mile to deliver you your preference and make you smile. As food is very important, our menu undergoes a consultation with the residents and gets critiqued by a dietitian. Meracare was awarded through the Frankston City Council the Frantastic Food Safety Award for both homes in 2019. This is a very important and prestigious award as it shows our commitment to food and food safety.

Come and take a look a look around at one of our facilities and see the difference we offer. We know aged care and know it well.

We look forward to greeting you with a smile and welcoming you to our home.

Carrum Downs Nursing Home

1135 Frankston Dandenong Road, Carrum Downs VIC 3201

Frankston Nursing Home

8-12 Nolan Street, Frankston VIC 3199