Food and dining are important in aged care, as they affect your health, wellbeing and quality of life.
The food and dining experience offered by your aged care provider should be safe, enjoyable, respectful and based on what you like.
We are here to support you with information and advice. If you would like to discuss your food, nutrition and dining experience in aged care, including raising a concern or complaint, you can contact us via our new Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline.
The Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline – 1800 844 044
People receiving aged care and their representatives can call us on our Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline with enquiries, questions, concerns and complaints about their food, nutrition and dining experience.
When you contact the Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline with questions, enquiries or concerns we will:
- listen to you to understand your enquiry, question or concern
- give you information relevant to your enquiry, question or concern
- support you to know your rights and responsibilities
- support you to raise a formal complaint with the Commission if you wish
If you’re calling with a question or enquiry about food, nutrition or dining, staff answering calls to the hotline will work with the Commission’s new Food, Nutrition and Dining Advisory Support Unit’s dietitians and speech pathologists to provide you with relevant information.
If you’re calling about a concern or complaints matter, you will have access to the Commission’s existing complaints pathway. Our friendly Complaints Officers will also work closely with the Food, Nutrition and Dining Advisory Support Unit to assist you with your concern or complaint.
The Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline is available on 1800 844 044 Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm AEST.
More information on accessing the hotline and what to expect when you contact us can be found in our fact sheet ‘Do you have questions, concerns or complaints about your food, nutrition and dining in aged care?’
Food, Nutrition and Dining Resources
The Commission’s food, nutrition and dining resources aim to help you enjoy food and dining in aged care.
Your provider and their staff will have access to similar information.
Dining resources
This video outlines what you can expect from your food and dining experience in aged care.
- Your choices matter fact sheet
- Enjoying dining fact sheet
- Food and dining preferences sheet
- Your dining experience poster
Choice resources
- Your right to make choices about food, drink and your experience in residential aged care – resident poster
- Food and drink in your aged care home – resident poster
- Making choices about your food, drink and dining experience – resident fact sheet
Swallowing resources
- Supporting safe and enjoyable mealtimes for people with swallowing difficulties fact sheet
- Nutrition and texture modified food and drinks: eating and drinking when you have problems with swallowing fact sheet
- Informed choice and supported decision making for people who eat and drink when there may be a risk
Oral health resources
This video introduces oral health. It describes what you can expect when it comes to your daily oral health and how your provider will respond to any oral health issues.
- Looking after your oral health in residential aged care resident fact sheet
- KNOW, LOOK, ACT Your oral health in aged care resident fact sheet
- Caring for your oral health resident poster
We welcome your feedback on the resources through info@agedcarequality.gov.au. This feedback will inform further supports provided throughout 2023.