Mealtime Assistants - offering support, compassion and encouragement while assisting patients or residents with their meals. Two levels are available: Level 1 DOES NOT include feeding and Level 2 DOES include feeding.

Mealtime Assistants offer support, companionship and encouragement at mealtime to ensure that patients or residents eat and drink the food and beverages necessary to support their health. In the dining room or at the bedside, you will provide a comfortable and supportive environment while encouraging independence wherever possible.  Duties can include arranging the dining area, portering to and from the dining area, providing and removing clothing protectors, assisting with hygiene before and after the meal, delivering and removing trays, opening packages, cutting up food, encouraging intake by reminding them what is on the tray and where it is located, and reporting the amount of food and drink taken. Level 2 Mealtime Assistants also feed patients or residents. Staff are responsible for positioning the person. Mealtime Assistant training requires periodic renewal.

Mealtime Assistant roles are quite flexible for scheduling, since there are three meals per day, seven days a week.  Roles are available both during the week and on the weekends.  Helping those who need assistance with their eating makes a very big difference as the availability of staff and the number of people needing assistance can result in some people having cold food.