Our specialist dietician’s aim is to ensure the delivery of high-quality nutrition and dietetic care to aid the rehabilitation process. Adequate nutrition and hydration helps to make rehabilitation more cost effective by supporting clients to get the most out of their therapeutic input.

Dehydration, deficiencies of certain vitamins and minerals, and/or gut problems such as constipation, are all quite common in clients after a catastrophic injury and can make fatigue, “brain fog” and spasticity worse. 

Following a referral, we will complete a nutritional assessment and provide appropriate dietary advice and support. We work closely with you and the MDT team to consider strategies that will help to improve your eating and drinking. We will also liaise with relatives and carers where appropriate.

This may include :

• Assessments to see if a client is meeting his/her nutrient requirements to maximise rehab potential and recover from surgery.
• Working with patients if they have a poor appetite or have lost weight during their hospital admission. We promote a “Food First” approach but may also recommend the use of nutritional supplements. 
• If you have had problems with your swallow, you may have a peg in place. If this is the case, we will work closely with Speech and Language Therapy and look to start introducing oral food and fluid if swallowing improves and it is safe.
• Being a healthy weight has a positive impact on rehabilitation. If you would like support with weight reduction and feel your weight is impacting on rehabilitation, they may discuss a referral with you.
• Support and education for clients on how they can achieve a weight which is healthy and sustainable for them.
• Supervision of support workers to monitor the weight of all clients — assessing clients for their risk of becoming malnourished and reducing the risk of clients becoming overweight/obese.
• Training sessions for support workers on why nutrition is important, how to devise healthy menus, how to interpret bowel charts, and how to manage type 2 diabetes and other health conditions.
• Assistance with capacity assessments around food and eating.
• Advice on diabetes management, a balanced diet and therapeutic diets to support with ongoing rehabilitation.