When housemates at Ludstone Street got more involved around the kitchen, mealtimes became some of the best times of the day.
Image: Allan peeling vegetables for dinner while sitting at the kitchen table.
At Ludstone Street in Melbourne, dinner is being prepared by Allan, Craig and Stephen. On the menu tonight is mashed potato. Allan is supported to peel the potatoes with some prompts from a member of his support team. If there is a potato that is too big to hold steady, they will hold it together. There is plenty of encouragement and friendly banter as peeled potatoes pile up.
Craig and Stephen help out too, Craig isn't too keen on grating just yet, but moves the chopped potatoes into the pot for boiling. Stephen is very clear about the required creaminess of the finished product, and makes sure the appropriate amount of butter is included.
Caroline, the house supervisor, says this participation in mealtimes is now the routine, but it wasn't always this way. The support team at Ludstone Street have made many improvements over a number of years to support choice, independence and participation in mealtimes.
A few years earlier, the new team at Ludstone faced a number of challenges, especially with mealtimes. The support team were focussed on trying to manage behaviours of concern, and as a result, were missing opportunities to support people to participate in what was happening around the kitchen.
Image: Craig peeling potatoes while standing at a kitchen bench.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, with online shopping deliveries constantly missing different ingredients, the team decided to use this as an opportunity to encourage more involvement in the kitchen. The unreliable menus were abandoned, and a new process was tested. The housemates and the team would look in the fridge together, pick from the available ingredients, and decide how to prepare meals with what they had.
This new way of dinner preparation became the mealtime way of working.
Caroline has taken great joy in seeing this collaboration reflected in the routine of the house, with staff supporting choice and control around mealtimes. The residents at Ludstone have also embraced this approach, taking more ownership and responsibility over their home.
Allan, who years ago would only express preferences if prompted by staff, will now confidently let staff know what he wants to cook and how he wants to be supported. The new kettle in the kitchen is one that Allan chose himself.
"People are capable of things you might never think was possible," Caroline said.
"You learn and build on the experience each shift, and over time these new experiences become new routines."
"If something isn't working, we ask 'how can we do things differently'?"
Craig has a mealtime management plan to keep him safe from choking risks. The team worked with him to understand the risks and explore safe food options together. These conversations helped build Craig's understanding of food safety and trust in the team.
The change didn't happen overnight, but today Craig is baking a cake with housemate Lorraine, knowing he will be supported by the team to modify the cake in a way that is safe for him to eat.
Image: Craig mixing cake ingredients in a bowl while standing at a kitchen bench.
Caroline acknowledged there were initial staff hesitations, but said the success has come from one small safe step at a time.
"It's not an overnight thing; it's small progress over time. Never give up! Just because it doesn't work today, it doesn't mean it won't tomorrow. It might not work until next year, but never give up."
"As a leader, it's important to try these approaches and role model them to your team so they are motivated to give it a go."
"It's not such a big change if they see their leader doing it too."
Image: Lorraine is buttering bread in the kitchen.
The team at Ludstone Street have shown that with patience, creativity, and a commitment to Active Support, the people we support can enjoy greater independence and participation in their daily lives.
