The programme for this year’s staging of one of Ireland’s largest and longest-running community food festivals featured a demonstration and discussion on innovative dining practices currently being developed at the HSE’s Dungarvan Community Hospital.

The subject of one of the main Saturday afternoon demos and talks at the Waterford Festival of Food was a catering and consultancy training service in the healthcare sector.

West Cork-based chef Niamh Condon, following some years working in an aged care facility, set up her ‘Dining with Dignity” service in 2019. Trading as ‘Ocras,’ it has developed individually-portioned, texture-modified food for people who have trouble swallowing.

Hosted by presenter Sharon Noonan at Curran’s Store on Dungarvan’s Davitt’s Quay, Niamh’s presentation began with a reminder that for most people, food is one of life’s pleasures. For those with swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) caused by medical conditions such as cancer, MS and Parkinson’s, however, eating can become problematic.

Speaking at the event, Niamh Condon explained that she “didn’t hold with a view that those with dysphagia only need their food in purée form and that if they won’t eat, the solution is to give them a supplement."

"As a chef, I wanted to see people enjoying their food. I also wanted to avoid waste. There is a way to give people a rewarding food experience that looked better, tasted better and had a proper mouth feel.”

The audience got to see - and taste – Niamh’s food products that are ready to be reheated from frozen or to thaw and serve. The food is prepared to different levels of softness to suit the severity of the dysphagia condition. Moulded to resemble the actual food, examples shown on the day included what can be done with bread, biscuits, scones, potato waffles and a range of vegetables.

Niamh told the attendance that the approach can also free up time for catering staff, provides chefs with a choice of individual elements to which they can add their own flair, and gives dietitians scope to customise meals for clients by adding something like a protein topping.

Kate Higgins, Senior Speech and Language Therapist, HSE Waterford Primary Care Services, also spoke at the event, giving general information on dysphagia and how healthcare services can be accessed to support those affected. Paula French, Director of Nursing,  and Robbie Barry, chef, from Dungarvan Community Hospital were also in attendance. Their catering team colleagues are currently working with Niamh to develop inclusive dining practices.