Brianna Cartwright BN&D(Hons)
Dietitian
Brianna is an approachable and considerate member of Optimum Intake’s Residential Aged Care team. She is an Accredited Practising Dietitian who is passionate about providing guidance, education and following an evidence-based and person-centred approach to nutrition care.
Brianna has experience working across the aged care sector both in the community setting and in residential aged care facilities , where she collaborates with residents, their families, carers and staff members to provide personalised nutrition care.
Brianna enjoys harnessing her nutrition knowledge and skills to meet the unique dietary needs of elderly clients. A vital skill of a dietitian is to understanding of the unique nutrition needs of elderly people as nutrition needs change as we age, often being higher for the elderly than for younger adults. She promotes that the meals, snacks and beverages each person receives needs to take into consideration their health condition, swallowing ability, appetite, food preferences, culture and more. Mealtimes are more than ‘just food on a plate’! Brianna supports care staff and food service staff to ensure the dining environment and meal service is best-practice, providing a safe and enjoyable environment that is conducive to eating. Furthermore, highlighting the benefits of essential, respectful and person-centred approach giving adequate assistance to consume their food and drink in a safe and comfortable manner.
Brianna focuses on more than just weight loss, she is able to provide dietary assessment and management of food and nutrition related issues experienced by older people, such as malnutrition, dysphagia, food allergy and intolerance, chronic disease, wounds and falls.
Food provision and nutrition care services are essential and valuable due to the strong link between malnutrition and the increased risk of falls, pressure injuries, wounds, morbidity, mortality and accelerated health care costs in aged care.
Brianna looks forward to building a supportive relationship with Aged Care Facilities and the local community, to achieve optimal health and wellbeing for her clients.