Unidine debuts nutrition program for dementia

Unidine, a food and dining management services company, recently rolled out a new nutrition program for patients with dementia.

The program offers bite-sized meals—made with ingredients including rice paper, potato cups and cucumber slices for wraps— that can be eaten without utensils, as the foods are warm, but cool enough to hold and can be served from a nurse’s station as well.

The contractor said it spent 18 months developing the Fresh Bites from Unidine program.

"We heard from our senior living clients that weight loss and the inability to eat independently was often a catalyst for dementia disease progression. So we began working on a solution that would increase nutritional intake and provide a more dignified approach to dining for memory care patients," Unidine’s CEO Richard B. Schenkel said in a news release.

Fresh Bites also emphasizes visual menus, appetizing aromas, brightly colored serving plates and techniques to help maintain self-feeding.