Are you a dietitian or looking to get into the industry? Have you ever considered working in aged care?

As we age, maintaining proper nutrition is more important than ever. The role of a dietitian is to offer advice on food and nutrition, helping people to improve their health and wellbeing. By helping seniors maintain a healthy diet, dietitians can help reduce the impact of chronic disease.

As a result, a career as an aged care dietitian can be highly rewarding.

So, what are the benefits of dietitians in aged care?

Benefits of Dietitians in Aged Care

Provide personalised nutritional plans

Dietitians can develop tailored dietary plans for residents, catering to their needs and preferences. These may be developed in consultation with residents, their families, aged care facilities and other healthcare professionals.

Tailoring the plans means residents are more likely to follow them. When tailoring dietary plans, dietitians will commonly take into account the following:
• Cultural preferences
• Medical conditions
• Texture

Help to provide holistic care

Dietitians work with other healthcare professionals to ensure residents healthcare needs are met. This may include general practitioners, nurses, speech pathologists,  aged care occupational therapists and aged care physiotherapists.

Help prevent and treat malnutrition

Malnutrition is a significant concern in aged care settings. Dietitians conduct assessments of aged care residents to identify their risk of malnutrition. They commonly do this by performing physical assessments to check for signs of muscle and fat loss. When they identify signs of malnutrition, dieticians develop strategies to reduce its effects.

Help support residents with dementia

Residents with dementia often have a reduced appetite, forget to eat or lose interest in food altogether. Dietitians can develop strategies, such as routine-based eating or sensory cues, to help mitigate the effects of this.

Assist in managing chronic health conditions

Proper nutrition is essential in reducing the risk of complications from chronic health conditions. These include heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. Dietitians develop strategies to help reduce the risk of these diseases, by enhancing residents nutrition.

Help to maximise residents’ dining experience

Mealtimes in aged care play an important role in the lives of residents. It’s not just about the food; mealtimes often provide a rare opportunity for shared social experiences. They also provide residents with a sense of routine. Dietitians can provide on site assessments of menus, mealtime experiences and dining environments.

Provide education and training for staff

Dietitians play a vital role in educating aged care staff to help meet the nutrition needs of residents. Topics covered include nutrition management, meal planning, and recognising signs of nutritional deficiencies.

Assist with policy compliance and development

In recent years, new aged care quality standards have been introduced. Dietitians can assist aged care facilities in developing policies and procedures that comply with updated standards.

Perform audits and assessments

Dietitians may assess menus as well as meal preparation techniques to ensure aged care residents are receiving the best quality of care possible.

Dietitians can play a vital role in the lives of older Australians, helping to maximise their quality of life.

Have you ever considered a career as an aged care dietician? Working in aged care offers the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

If you are considering a career in aged care, aged Care Resumes can help. We are pleased to offer various services, including dietitian resume writing and dietitian interview skills coaching.

Article References

Better Health Channel (n.d) ‘Dietitians’, Better Health Channel, accessed 31 March 2025.

Bloom Healthcare (27 January 2025) ‘The Importance of Dietetics in Aged Care: Building Better Nutrition for Seniors’, Bloom Healthcare, accessed 31 March 2025.

Department Of Health And Aged Care (n.d) ‘Improving food and nutrition in aged care’, Department Of Health And Aged Care, accessed 31 March 2025.

Dietitians Australia (n.d) ‘Dietitians Australia’, Dietitians Australia, accessed 31 March 2025.