Quebec spices up menu in long-term care homes

Quebec Health Minister Gatan Barrette is promising that food in the province's chronic-care institutions is about to get much tastier.

The province has partnered with the Institut de tourisme et d'htellerie du Qubec to come up with 40 new recipes for kitchen staff at its centres d'hbergement de soins de longue dure (CHSLD).

The recipes will target cultural communities, with a special focus on Mediterranean, Asian and Caribbeancuisine.

"We are committed to improving the quality of meals offered in CHSLDs throughout the province by 2018," Barrette said.

The recipes will be ready by next March. The project will cost$100,000.

Barrette faced criticism last yearafter news reports indicated the elderly in government-run residences were fed "powdered potatoes with a protein supplement" and that as many as 60 per cent of seniors in long-term care were suffering from malnutrition in part, because they are given so little time to eat and so little help being fed.

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CAQMNAFranoisParadisdenounced the fact that the average budget for a CHSLDmeal in Quebec was $2.14, and in some establishments, it was as low as $1.35. The CAQ called for that average budget to be almost doubled.

At the time, Barrettepromisedmore money would be invested to providebetter food and invited journalists with cameras to a residence in order to try some of themeals given to the province's seniors living in government care.