We were very moved recently reading about an initiative introduced by Jules Lock, End of Life Care Lead Volunteer Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust called Taste for Pleasure.

Jules works within a team of volunteers who ensure patients aren’t alone at the end of their lives. The patients they keep company may have relatives who are unable to visit, or might not have any relatives at all. They can also step in when friends and family members need time away from the bedside.

Jules commented 

‘We feel privileged to care for patients during their final days and we only have one chance to get it right, so we’re proud to have introduced an enriching experience for them that we are hoping to roll out across the trust.

Some months ago, I sat with a patient over the course of a week as she reached the end of her life. Sitting with someone in this way focuses your mind and gives you time to contemplate your surroundings. 

The patient was lying beneath the words, ‘Nil By Mouth’. The lady was barely responsive so eating and drinking were clearly out of the question, yet the ward staff were obliged to signpost this information.

It made me wonder how upsetting it must be for friends and family being constantly reminded as their loved one slips away that they will not eat or drink again. We take these fundamental processes for granted, and we share moments, both happy and sad, through food and drink.

When it comes to end of life care there aren’t really any rules, and those that there are are made to be broken. With that in mind, we have introduced safe Taste for Pleasure for our patients, the language we use is so important and can make such a difference.

Taste for Pleasure means that when we give mouth care, we can dab the patient’s favourite flavours on their lips. This can be any flavour, from blackcurrant squash to tea, all the way up to whiskey!

View our own innovative product solution Air with Flavour which helps give people at end of life and with swallowing difficulties, their favourite flavours back, safely.

This simple change to the patient’s routine not only aids their care within the hospital, it also opens up a conversation about their life, what their favourite food and drink is, and can remind them and their loved ones of joyful past experiences. One memorable patient received their mouth care with prosecco while their family members joined them with a glass of fizz. What a wonderful way to remember your loved one!

For the ward staff, who in my experience have always showed the utmost care, respect and diligence towards patients reaching the end of their lives, they can share patient mouth care with the family. Helping a loved one at the end of their life is so important and can allow family and friends to feel useful during a time in which they have little control.

The End of Life Care Team & Speech and Language Team are working together to change the culture of Nil By Mouth, and as staff at the Trust continue to join us by offering Taste for Pleasure, we feel confident that we can get it right and deliver the best possible care for our patients and their loved ones.’

Here at Hcsuk we’re very proud to introduce our own ‘Taste for Pleasure’ product, the innovative Air with Flavour which allows almost any liquid -  juice, soup, hot drinks and even alcohol to be transformed into "air with taste". 

View our own innovative product solution Air with Flavour which helps give people at end of life and with swallowing difficulties, their favourite flavours back, safely.

Air with Flavour, comes in a sachet which is mixed with any liquid and the foam is produced using a pump and fine diffuser, before being served with a spoon.

The airy foams touch the taste receptors on a person’s palate, providing them with a unique taste experience, without the risk of choking (there is less liquid on a spoonful of foam than in natural saliva production). The light foam leaves no solid food or liquid in the mouth, just an intense flavour.

Peter Radford, past Group Catering Manager at Milford Care introduced this concept across all of the homes in the Milford Care group.

Peter said: “It’s like a taste explosion in the mouth. Before, people who couldn’t eat any food would only have lemon flavour swabs. One gentleman said to me he wished he could have a glass of wine. When I gave him the foam to try he said it tasted just like it.

The vast range of flavours can include hot drinks, juices and alcohol, as well as mouthwash to help support oral mouth care. Current popular flavours are beer, coffee, red wine, juices and savoury beef broth. Peter has been so impressed with the product that he thinks it should be used in care homes across the country. It is currently being rolled out across all of Milford Care’s homes in Belper, Milford, Ashbourne, Alfreton and Hucknall.

The product, comes in a sachet and the foam is produced using a pump and fine diffuser, before being served with a spoon.

Peter said: “The larger the bubbles in the foam the better, it can be re-used and re-used and re-used for an individual.

“I think this is a superb product and should be used nationwide. I’m not from a medical background, but when you see something like this you have got to accept that it’s a great tool. It’s going to be brilliant to enable people to taste flavours again.

Air with Flavour is a shining example of how innovation and compassion can improve the quality of life for people at the end of their lives. By reviving the senses, preserving dignity, and reducing nutritional and emotional distress, this product provides a ray of hope and comfort during a challenging time. As healthcare continues to evolve, it is innovations like Air with Flavour that remind us of the importance of enhancing the end-of-life experience and ensuring that individuals are treated with the care, respect, and dignity they deserve.

For more ways to provide dignified dining experiences why not download our Dignified Dining Solutions Guide here.