Finding the right dietitian for your Support at Home clients involves more than arranging an appointment.
For aged care providers and care partners, you need an allied health service that understands older people, communicates well with your team, works within the Support at Home environment and makes the referral process as straightforward as possible.
At Optimum Intake Dietitians, this is exactly how our Aged Care Team approaches care.
We work collaboratively with Support at Home providers to deliver dietetic and nutrition services to older Australians, with a strong focus on communication, coordination and practical support throughout the referral and service journey.
A Dietitian Service That Works With Your Team
When you refer a client to an external health professional, their care still needs to fit within the broader picture.
That’s why collaboration is an important part of our aged care dietetic service.
Our dietitians and Client Care Team work alongside care partners, coordinators and other health professionals to help ensure nutrition care is coordinated with the client’s needs, goals, support plan and broader care.
Depending on the client’s circumstances and the arrangements with their provider, this may include:
- discussing the reason for referral and nutrition priorities
- providing information required to support service approval
- communicating relevant recommendations following assessment
- working within available budgets and approved services
- liaising with other members of the client’s care team where appropriate
- supporting follow-up and ongoing nutrition care when required.
Our goal is to make accessing dietetic care easier for the client and easier for the people coordinating their care.
Experienced Dietitians in Aged Care Nutrition
Nutrition needs can change considerably as we age.
Changes in appetite, weight, mobility, health conditions, medications, cognition, swallowing, food access and a person’s ability to shop or prepare meals can all influence nutrition.
A dietitian assessment can help identify nutrition concerns and develop practical strategies tailored to the individual.
Our Aged Care Team works with older Australians across a broad range of nutrition concerns, including:
- unintentional weight loss
- malnutrition and malnutrition risk
- poor appetite or reduced food intake
- frailty
- diabetes
- cardiovascular conditions
- gastrointestinal concerns
- nutrition following illness or hospitalisation
- changing nutrition needs associated with ageing and chronic health conditions.
We understand that nutrition recommendations also need to work in the client’s real life. Their preferences, routines, abilities, home environment, supports and personal goals all matter.
Supporting Care Partners Throughout the Referral Process
We know how much coordination sits behind aged care services.
Our Client Care Team provides a central point of contact for Support at Home providers working with us.
From receiving the initial referral and coordinating appointments through to answering administrative questions and supporting communication between our dietitians and care partners, our team aims to make the process clear and straightforward.
If something is unclear, we’d rather have a conversation.
Questions about referrals, service options, appointment availability, reports or the practicalities of engaging our team are always welcome.
Working Within the Support at Home Model
Support at Home is designed to support older Australians to remain independent at home, with services based on their assessed needs, goals and preferences.
Nutrition is included within the Clinical Supports category of the Support at Home service list.
Registered providers can also engage third parties or associated providers to deliver particular services. This can allow providers to connect clients with health professionals who have specific expertise while maintaining overall coordination of the person’s care.
At Optimum Intake Dietitians, we understand the importance of working collaboratively within these arrangements.
We aim to understand how each provider operates and establish processes that support effective referrals, communication and continuity of care.
Supporting Self-Managed Support at Home Participants
Some Support at Home participants choose to self-manage aspects of their care, including having greater involvement in choosing and coordinating their services.
If a participant would like to use Optimum Intake Dietitians, we are happy to work with them and their Support at Home provider to determine whether dietetic services can be arranged within their approved care and funding.
Participants and families are welcome to contact our team to discuss what they are looking for. We can then explain our services and help them understand the next steps for arranging dietetic care with their registered provider.
Education and Nutrition Support for Aged Care Teams
Our role extends beyond individual appointments.
We are passionate about helping aged care teams recognise nutrition concerns earlier and understand when a referral to a dietitian may be helpful.
This can include education and practical guidance around common issues such as:
- identifying signs of malnutrition or nutrition risk
- recognising concerning weight or appetite changes
- understanding when dietetic assessment may be appropriate
- supporting nutrition following changes in health or function
- understanding how nutrition can contribute to maintaining independence and quality of life.
Early identification can create opportunities to address nutrition concerns before they become more significant.
Flexible Support for Different Aged Care Providers
Every organisation operates differently.
Referral pathways, approval processes, communication preferences and internal systems can vary considerably between Support at Home providers.
Our team takes the time to understand how your organisation works and, where possible, adapt our processes to support a smooth working relationship.
For some providers, that may mean establishing an ongoing associated provider relationship. For others, referrals may arise because an individual participant has requested access to our dietitians.
Whatever the arrangement, we value clear expectations, responsive communication and a shared focus on the older person receiving care.
Communication Is Central to Good Care
Good nutrition care rarely happens in isolation.
An older person’s nutrition may be influenced by their health, medications, mobility, cognition, social circumstances, food access, functional capacity and the support available around them.
Communication between the dietitian, participant, family or carers, care partner and other health professionals can therefore make a meaningful difference.
Our approach is built around being approachable, responsive and collaborative.
We want providers to know who to contact, clients to understand what is happening with their care and relevant members of the care team to have the information they need.
Looking for an Aged Care Dietitian to Partner With Your Organisation?
If your organisation is looking for an experienced dietitian service to support your Support at Home clients, we’d be pleased to talk with you.
Optimum Intake Dietitians has a dedicated Aged Care Team providing nutrition and dietetic services to older Australians. Our dietitians are supported by a Client Care Team who understand the importance of timely communication, coordinated referrals and strong relationships with aged care providers.
Whether you’re looking to establish an ongoing relationship with a dietitian provider or have a particular client who needs nutrition support, you’re welcome to get in touch.
Talk to Our Aged Care Team
Phone: 0499 008 451
Email: admin@optimumintake.com.au
Online referral form: optimumintake.com.au/aged-care-referral-form/
Frequently Asked Questions About Dietitian Services and Support at Home
Can Support at Home Funding Be Used for a Dietitian?
Yes. Dietetics and nutrition support are included within the Clinical Supports service category under Support at Home.
Access to dietetic services will depend on the participant’s assessed needs, goals, approved services and available funding. A dietitian may be involved when nutrition is affecting a person’s health, independence, function or wellbeing.
When Should a Support at Home Client Be Referred to a Dietitian?
There are many reasons an older person may benefit from seeing a dietitian. A referral may be appropriate when there are concerns such as:
- unintentional weight loss
- poor appetite or reduced food intake
- malnutrition or risk of malnutrition
- frailty
- difficulty meeting nutrition needs
- diabetes or other chronic health conditions
- gastrointestinal concerns
- changes in nutrition following illness or hospitalisation
- changes in health, function or circumstances that are affecting eating and nutrition.
Early referral can help identify nutrition concerns and provide practical strategies tailored to the individual’s needs, preferences and goals.
Toggle titleCan Optimum Intake Dietitians work with us as an associated provider?
Yes. Optimum Intake Dietitians can work collaboratively with registered Support at Home providers to deliver dietetic services to their participants.
We understand that each organisation has its own referral, approval, invoicing and communication processes. Our Aged Care Team and Client Care Team work with providers to establish a clear process and make accessing dietetic support as straightforward as possible.
If you are considering engaging an external dietitian service for your Support at Home participants, please contact us to discuss your organisation’s requirements.
Toggle titleDo you work with Support at Home care partners and care coordinators?
Yes. Collaboration with the people coordinating a participant’s care is an important part of our approach.
With appropriate consent, our dietitians can communicate with relevant members of the care team about nutrition concerns, recommendations and ongoing support. Our Client Care Team can also assist with referrals, appointments, administrative requirements and other questions about accessing our services.
Can a self-managed Support at Home participant choose Optimum Intake as their dietitian?
Participants who self-manage their Support at Home services can have greater involvement in choosing the people and organisations providing their care.
If you or a family member would like to see an Optimum Intake dietitian, you are welcome to contact us. We can discuss your needs and work with your registered Support at Home provider to determine the appropriate arrangements for accessing our services.
Do you provide home visits for older people?
Yes. Our aged care dietitians provide services to older Australians in their own homes across the areas we service, subject to clinician availability and location.
Home visits can be particularly valuable when mobility, frailty, transport or other circumstances make attending a clinic difficult. They also allow the dietitian to better understand the person’s home environment, usual food choices and practical factors that may be influencing their nutrition.
Please contact our team to check availability in your area.
Can you provide ongoing dietitian support rather than a single appointment?
Yes. The amount and frequency of dietetic support will depend on the participant’s individual needs, goals and approved services.
Some people may benefit from an assessment and a small number of follow-up appointments. Others may have ongoing or changing nutrition needs that benefit from regular dietetic review.
Our dietitians can make recommendations about appropriate follow-up after assessment and work collaboratively with the participant and their Support at Home provider.dit button to change this text.
What happens after I refer a Support at Home client?
Once we receive a referral, our Client Care Team reviews the information provided and coordinates the next steps.
We can liaise with the referring provider where additional information or approval is required, arrange the client’s appointment and support communication throughout the referral process.
Following assessment, the dietitian can provide relevant recommendations and documentation in accordance with the agreed service and the participant’s needs.
How do I refer a Support at Home client to Optimum Intake Dietitians?
Referrals can be made directly to our Aged Care Team.
Phone: 0499 008 451
Email: admin@optimumintake.com.au
Online referral: optimumintake.com.au/aged-care-referral-form/
If you are an aged care provider interested in establishing an ongoing relationship with Optimum Intake Dietitians, you can also contact our team to discuss how we can work with your organisation.</p
