Vegan and Vegetarian Diets On The Rise In UK Care Homes

Care homes in the UK have seen a 24 percent rise in vegan and vegetarian residents over the past decade, according to a new survey.

Vegetarian for Life, a charity specialising in plant-based diets for older people, surveyed 1,000 care homes across the country. It found that there are now more than 8,000 vegan and vegetarian care home residents as of this year, compared to around 6,500 in 2014. Nearly a third of care homes now cater to at least one vegan or vegetarian resident, a rise of 39 percent in ten years.

“The move towards plant-based diets isn’t just for younger generations,” Amanda Woodvine, Chief Executive of Vegetarian for Life, said in a statement. “We’re seeing more people in later life adopting vegan and vegetarian lifestyles for ethical, environmental, and health reasons. Care homes across the UK need to respond to these preferences, both to meet current demand and to prepare for a future where dietary choice is central to individual care.”

There are more than 425,000 people living in care homes in the UK, with the majority being 65 or older. As they are more at risk of poor nutrition, it’s essential that care homes are able to provide them with healthy and appropriate food. They are required under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to meet residents’ dietary preferences according to beliefs and culture as well as for health needs.

Guidance for care homes

Vegetarian for Life has launched a guide for care homes, Gourmet Vegan, to raise the standards of vegan food both health and taste-wise. It provides caterers with recipe and food presentation ideas to give vegan and vegetarian residents fine dining experiences that contribute to improving their quality of life.

The launch took place during the charity’s recent Awards for Excellence in vegan and vegetarian care home catering at the Houses of Parliament.

“We’re proud to celebrate those who are raising the bar in care catering,” said Woodvine. “This includes hospitals, care homes, and catering teams that are responding to the changing tastes and ethical choices of today’s aging population.”

Plant-based diets for healthy aging

Several studies have shown that eating a plant-based diet can promote healthy aging. One found that women in midlife who eat more plant-based protein had a significantly lower risk in developing chronic diseases in older age. Others have shown that eating more plants and less meat lowers the risk of heart disease, a leading killer of older people.

Meanwhile, a recent study of twins found that a vegan diet can actually lower your biological age. Pairs of twins each ate either vegan or healthy omnivorous diets for two months; the former showed significant decreases in biological aging at the end of the study.