Issue

Wintalyka Issue 01 / 2011
Issue HCC 01 / 2011 FF Training Wintalyka Day
If the client is seeking culturally specific foods,
are the raw ingredients available in the area
and is there a volunteer or staff member who
may assist with cooking in the home? Is there
a source of centre based meals which may be
accessed?
Clients need to be encouraged
to determine their own food
goals. These may be varied and
may or may not be achievable
by your service. The goals need
to be achievable, either short
or long term, and add to the
wellbeing of the client.
Once goals have been determined a care plan
can be made, which may include other service
types. Flexible Food is a time specific program
with a view to integrating the client back into
the community whilst removing support as
appropriate and once the client has developed
or regained a social network.
The research into the effects of social isolation
on deteriorating mental and physical health and
the ameliorating effects of social inclusiveness
through programs such as Flexible Food is well
documented e.g. Promoting social networks
for older people in community aged care –
Research to Practice Briefing, 2 February 2009
Benevolent Society).
Hunter Access Point Assessment Team
We were very pleased to have Dorothy Shipley
and Kylee Davis from the Hunter Access Point
Assessor Team join us in the training session.
This was an opportunity to discuss aspects of
the assessment and referral process. It also
allowed for the Access team to have a sound
understanding of the Flexible Food Pilot and
which clients would benefit from a referral.
A Narrative Approach to Flexible Food
Assessment
Viv Read from Emerging Options Pty Ltd
introduced the group to a narrative approach
to assessing for care planning and goal setting.
Knowledge is imparted more effectively through
listening to story rather than reading reports.
A person centred approach needs the client
to be able to tell their story in the form of a
dialogue that will address complex issues
beginning with a big picture of what the client
wishes to share about their life that gradually
focuses into goal setting
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The assessment takes place in the client’s home,
providing context and a better understanding
of what is important to the client. Photos,
mementos, knitting and other home content
will also help to give context to the clients life
and provide clues for what is important in their
lives.
Areas of life including friends, family, mobility,
shopping, nutrition, independence, hobbies and
other areas are the triggers to the questions and
prompts that need to be crafted by the Flexible
Food staff. Prompts need to allow for space for
the client to give a meaningful response about
what they want. For example the difference
between “What do you eat”? And, “remember
the last really good meal you had – what did you
enjoy about it – what was exciting about it?”
See what emerges through conversation and
story and work with that. Begin by designing
open ended questions that begin with enough
space to prompt life experiences rather than
assume that you know what will be good for the
client. In setting goals a prompt could include:
“Think about a year’s time – what stories would
you like to be able to tell friends about how you
are living that you can’t say now”
After two or three stories, themes and patterns
will start emerging that will be indicators for
what goals the client may wish to pursue. If a
client doesn’t know what they want, the patterns
in their story may help them to be clearer on
changes they would like to make.
It is important to gradually focus to a goal
setting care plan and be ready to change
direction in your dialogue if necessary so that
you stay with strengths, interests capacities
and opportunities that will support goal setting
based on nutrition and social activities.
Prompts for questions in the person’s home
could include for example photos. Begin with: “I
see you have lots of photos – who is that person
in the photo?” “Where does she live?” This can
gradually be focused down to “Do you see them
often or as much as you would like?” Or: “Are
you a Morisset born and bred person?” “How
did get here?” or “What made you choose to
come here?”
Exploration needs to become specific and not
a continuous open ended chat. “What did you
used to do that you can’t enjoy now – but with
support would be able to do again?”
“You mentioned earlier that you enjoyed
cooking. Can you tell me how well you manage
this now? How often do you cook?”
www.nswmealsonwheels.org.au