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Table 1 Characteristics of the LTC homes for each province in the M3 study

From: Nutritional quality of regular and pureed menus in Canadian long term care homes: an analysis of the Making the Most of Mealtimes (M3) project

 

Province

Alberta

Manitoba

New Brunswick

Ontario

Home Sector, % (n)

    

 For-profit

50.0 (4)

37.5 (3)

12.5 (1)

25.0 (2)

 Non-profit

50.0 (4)

62.5 (5)

87.5 (7)

75.0 (6)

Age of home in years, mean (range)

28.6

(4–51)

35.4

(14–70)

34.9

(5–47)

25.9

(11–59)

Number of beds per LTC home, mean (range)

151.5

(100–226)

161.9

(57–233)

87.3

(50–200)

138.9

(84–238)

Menu cycle length in weeks, median (range)

4

(3–4)

3

(3–5)

4

(3–6)

4

(3–5)

Last full revision of the menu, % (n)

    

 Less than 6 months

50.0 (4)

75.0 (6)

75.0 (6)

87.5 (7)

 6–12 months

37.5 (3)

25.0 (2)

12.5 (1)

12.5 (1)

 13–18 months

12.5 (1)

0

0

0

 More than 18 months

0

0

12.5 (1)

0

Menu planning based on Canada’s Food Guide (CFG), % (n)

100.0 (8)

100.0 (8)

100.0 (8)

100.0 (8)

Menu planning based on other guidelines§, % (n)

37.5 (3)

12.5 (1)

12.5 (1)

37.5 (3)

Dietitian time (hours per week), mean (range)

22.5

(15.0–37.5)

21.8

(7.5–38.8)

13.8

(0–37.5)

16.6

(7.0–35.0)

Raw food cost ($ per resident/day), mean (range) *

7.50

(6.10–8.3)

7.80

(6.20–9.00)

7.20

(6.30–7.90)

8.50

(7.30–12.50)

Methods of food preparation primarily used, % (n)

    

 Traditional/conventional system

62.5 (5)

50.0 (4)

62.5 (5)

100.0 (8)

 Ready prepared system (bulk or individual reheat)

0

25.0 (2)

37.5 (3)

0

 Both methods used a

37.5 (3)

25.0 (2)

0

0

Proportion of food production is commercially prepared b, median (range)

10.0

(2–70)

30.0

(20–100)

15.0

(2–60)

10.0

(0–30)

Production of modified texture foods in the home, % (n)

    

 Modified from regular texture in home

37.5 (3)

50.0 (4)

37.5 (3)

62.5 (5)

 Purchased all modified texture food

12.5 (1)

12.5 (1)

25.0 (2)

0

 Both methods used c

50.0 (4)

37.5 (3)

37.5 (3)

37.5 (3)

Recipes are available for modified textures prepared from the regular texture, % (n) **

    

 Yes

25.0 (2)

37.5 (3)

25.0 (2)

75.0 (6)

 Only some items

37.5 (3)

25.0 (2)

37.5 (3)

25.0 (2)

 No

25.0 (2)

25.0 (2)

12.5 (1)

0

  1. Descriptive statistics were used to compute means for continuous variables and frequencies for the categorical variables. Numerical and ordinal data are mean (standard deviation) and median where appropriate. Categorical and ordinal data are % (n). Total n = 32, where * n = 27 and ** n = 28
  2. §Other guidelines for menu planning in addition to using Canada’s Food Guide include: LTC accommodation standards, LTC homes act, Dietitians of Canada menu planning, home specific guidelines
  3. aBoth methods used = traditional/conventional and ready prepared systems used
  4. bProportion of food production is commercially prepared with no further preparation needed
  5. cBoth methods used = modified from regular in-home & purchased