I am the CDM in LTC awainting your dying- to- know questions,and have worked in nursing home dietary (kitchen) settings for 20 years and have for 10 years managed those kitchens and been a part of the interdisciplinary team that wrote up the plan of care and assessment protocols for your grandpa with COPD , bad teeth and renal failure, your Mom with metastasized cancer and dementia, your great Aunt Petunia who just got her left hip replaced and has a stage 2 decub on her butt, and your BFF post operative for heart surgery and complications from DM. So I am the one who implemented that 2gm sodium restricted carbohydrate cardiac diet she disliked, or that pureed high calorie diet, or that renal /Dysphagia 3 diet that either the dietitian or doctor wrote orders for, either with or without my input.
At the same time, I hired/fired and scheduled the kitchen staff, made them clean the ovens, bought the food and supervised the menu and preparation, and of course pulled some of those shifts when the Dishwasher called in sick.
I attended quarterly care conference meetings for residents, patients and their families, alongside the nursing care manager, the activities director, the speech, occupational or physical therapists and it was my reputation and job on the line when state inspectors for the medicaid/ medicare senior and protective services came in the doors in groups of 3 or 4 to check the medical record, inspect the facility, snoop through the kitchen and watch to see if everyone knew what they were doing.
Got any questions on geriatric care in general in the nursing setting or those special diets we all get faced with when a diagnosis requires nutritional intervention, or about institutional food service or about why you were told Mom could not have her bed rails up at night or why Dad can’t have breakfast at 10:30 am.