AvantiCare has a team of experienced dietitians who can provide services within Our Hub, residential facilities or within home care.

Our approach to dietetics focuses on each individual’s needs, tailoring the management to best suit each person, their daily lifestyle and their personal goals. Through assessment and analysis of an individual’s intake our dietitians are then able to educate and support our clients achieving optimal wellbeing.

Seeing a dietitian can help you to filter through all of the confusing and conflicting dietary advice you may receive from friends, family and other health professionals, as well as online misinformation, to provide you with individualised and evidence-based information to help you eat smarter, healthier and more mindfully.

Our Hub

Home Care

Residential Care

What is Accredited Practising Dietitian?

Accredited Practising Dietitians (APDs) are university-qualified professionals that undertake ongoing training and education programs to ensure that they are your most up-to-date and credible source of nutrition information.

A dietitian is trained in many areas of nutrition to assist people to understand the relationship between diet and disease. A dietitian can provide you with advice, recommendations and strategies in managing a variety of health conditions including, but not limited to:

  • Diabetes – type 1 and type 2
  • Heart health such as high cholesterol and congestive cardiac failure
  • Gastrointestinal health such as irritable bowel syndrome, coeliac disease, crohn’s disease, diarrhoea and constipation
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Malnutrition – both over and under nutrition
  • Wound healing
  • Food allergies and intolerances
  • Fussy eating
  • Osteoporosis
  • Arthritis such as gout

What does a Dietitian do?

Dietitians assess someone’s usual dietary intake in accordance with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, taking into account their likes/dislikes, medical history, medications, bowel habits, allergies/intolerances, diet texture and any additional requirements for things such as wound healing to identify best-practice and individualised interventions that best suits their needs. Dietitians cooperate in multidisciplinary teams with GPs, nurses, care staff, other allied health professionals and catering staff to deliver the best service to consumers and to help them meet their nutrition and hydration needs.

AvantiCare dietitians are also highly skilled in completing menu reviews to ensure that aged care menus meet the nutritional requirement for the older population and respond to preferences and needs of the specific facilities and consumers. As specialist aged care dietitians, we know how to work closely with chefs and food service managers to ensure that residents are achieving optimal nutrition, choice and variety for good health and quality of life.

Did you know…

Dietitians do not follow a perfect diet (whatever that means!?!) and have usually chosen their profession because they have a love of food – ALL food, even chocolate! They believe in moderation and incorporating a wide variety of foods in the diet along with an active lifestyle.

AvantiCare Services

When you use AvantiCare, you can choose from a wide range of specialist allied health services, including but not limited to:

Physiotherapy

We have a team of physiotherapists experienced within the adult community who can provide services to residential facilities. We can tailor physiotherapy plans to suit all levels of care.
Physiotherapy

Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy within the adult community helps with overall mobility and aims to prevent future injuries. Our team can provide services within residential facilities or within home care.
Occupational Therapy

Dietetics

Our approach to dietetics focuses on each individual’s needs, tailoring the management to best suit each person, their daily lifestyle and their personal goals.
Dietetics

Speech pathology

Our Speech Pathology service continues to deliver contemporary and evidence-based approaches in the management of dysphagia (swallowing disorders) and communication difficulties.
Speech Pathology

Podiatry

Our experienced podiatrists will tailor therapy to suit your needs; this may be to increase stability to help prevent falls, or managing foot pain and strengthening muscles within your feet.
Podiatry

Our Dietetics Services Include

  • Clinical Assessments and Reviews
  • Accreditation support
  • Education to identify at risk residents
  • Monthly weight review meetings
  • Education services
  • Nutritional advice
  • Diabetes management
  • Food Services
  • Menu review
  • Supplement review
  • Development of new menu
  • Plate wastage and auditing
  • Reviews of catering systems and processes

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?

The main difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist is that a dietitian has undertaken more complex and extensive studies in human nutrition including clinical placements under supervision.

As a result of their substantial studies, a dietitian can practice as a nutritionist, but a nutritionist cannot practice as a dietitian. Some dietitians choose to call themselves nutritionists, as this term seems to be better understood by the public.

It is important to note that there is no government regulation for the term ‘nutritionist’ and someone calling themselves a nutritionist may not have any formal training at all. If in doubt, look for the term ‘Accredited Nutritionist’ or ‘Accredited Practising Dietitian’ which can only be used by those registered with Dietitians Australia.

Do dietitians put people on 'diets' or 'supplements'?

Not generally, a dietitian helps you to implement healthy lifestyle choices taking a Food First Approach and works with you to ensure their recommendations fit in with your likes/dislikes and meal preferences.

In some cases however, supplements can be a vital addition to someone’s daily intake if they are having difficulty consuming enough energy (calories/kilojoules) and protein through regular food and fluids alone.

What is malnutrition?

Malnutrition is most commonly known to be caused by under-nutrition which may result in unintentional weight loss and muscle wasting. Despite popular belief, malnutrition is not a normal part of ageing and can lead to reduced quality of life by increasing chance of infection, falls, fractures, pressure injuries and admission to hospital.

Malnutrition may also refer to micro-nutrient deficiencies or overweight and obesity related to diseases.

What is the Food First Approach?

There are many different ways to approach malnutrition in both prevention and management, however the Food First Approach is gold standard.

This can be achieved by offering high energy and high protein foods and nourishing fluids in addition to the planned menu, ensuring mid meal snack options are nourishing and of adequate size and by fortifying meals with things such as milk powder, cheese and cream to increase nutritional value of a meal without increasing volume.

The Food First Approach is cost effective on a larger scale but also tastier and more enjoyable on an individual scale.

Need more information on Dietetics?

Our friendly staff are happy to answer any questions and offer further advice on how AvantiCare can help you and your loved ones.

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