Date: 31 October 2016

Whiddon Kelso was named ‘National Catering Facility of the Year’ at the 2016 Aged Care Hospitality Awards Gala Dinner in Melbourne last Friday.

Nominated for their new focus on dining experiences, including a personalised hotel-style meal service, enhanced physical dining spaces and greater flexibility at meal times, Whiddon Kelso’s approach to dining has proven to be a recipe for success.

Whiddon Kelso’s Director Care Services Ms Nicole Mahara was thrilled to accept this National Catering Award and said it reflects the efforts of staff, who go above and beyond every day in their roles.

‘I am very proud of the Whiddon Kelso team for the hard work they have put in to win this award. The team strive each and every day to deliver the highest quality care possible and ensure that meals and meal times are a wonderful experience for our residents,’

‘Food is a very important part of the care we provide at Whiddon, and we know that it plays a significant role the health and wellbeing of our residents. The team at Kelso continually look for ways to enhance dining experiences, and provide flexibility for residents, and I’m proud that this has been recognised through these awards.’

‘Our dining experience has transitioned into much more than just a meal. We see meal times as a social event, a time to chat with family and friends and we have worked hard to offer a personalised and relaxing experience. We are finding that residents are more engaged, eating more and enjoying a greater dining experience.’

‘We provide a tailored approach to dietary and dining needs and engage regularly with residents and their families to ensure that their needs and preferences are being met. Despite our home having doubled in size to more than 110 residents over the past year, we have managed to further enhance the quality service we provide.’

‘We welcome residents’ family members join us for meal time, host regular resident and relative events to celebrate special days such as Mother’s and Father’s Day and Christmas, and offer a flexible meal service for our community care clients who are living in their own homes.’

‘Our team are extremely passionate about what they do and go out of their way to ensure personalised and home-like dining services for everyone. They are an inspiration and have certainly done us all proud.’ Ms Mahara said.

Whiddon offers nutritious and delicious seasonal menus, prepared using fresh local produce and providing menu choices at each meal to suit individual tastes and dietary requirements.

This is the fourth consecutive year Whiddon has won a national award at the Aged Care Hospitality Awards. Whiddon Kelso was one of two services and three individuals recognised as National Finalists for their excellence in catering and laundry services.