Question

Debate the benefits of using a liberal diet in long term care facilities.

Nutrition Essentials for Nursing Practice 7th Edition Author: Susan G. Dudek

Answer 1

The benefits of using a liberal diet in long-term care facilities include; better intake, of food, lower incidence of weight loss, due to less palatable therapeutic diets, more consistent blood glucose levels, and improved quality of life for a resident. Further, the use of liberalized diets simplifies food preparation, tray delivery, and use of foods during activities in a long-term care facility. Texture-modified diets such as puree, mechanical soft, and thickened liquids should not be liberalized unless a patient has had an improvement in chewing or swallowing ability