flax flour getting results at The Haven
Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - Natalie Miller
The addition of ground flaxseeds to residents’ breakfast cereals or on toast as a condiment is improving “quality of health” at OMNI’s Almonte long-term care home, the administrator says.

Rick Gourlie says the product has helped regularity, thereby reducing the number of pharmaceutical laxatives necessary at Almonte Country Haven. In fact, Rick is so impressed with the health benefits of flax flour, he has starting eating bread made from the seed that’s rich in essential fatty acids.

Almonte is the second OMNI home to introduce flax flour, a product made from flaxseeds that has a “nutty” flavour and a texture similar to bran.

“It is absolutely something I’d recommend to any home,” says Rick.

“It has definitely impacted the quality of health care.”

About 50 per cent of residents now receive flax flour in their diets since the program began four months ago. Rick says staff approached residents and their family members about the product and received strong support.

Almonte’s director of care, Pam Murphy, and nutritional care manager Sandy Bullock headed up the program. Pam worked with Elisabeth Hinton, director of care at Garden Terrace, to get the program started. OMNI’s Kanata home introduced the program in the summer of 2004 at the suggestion of former nutritional care manager Andrea Smith. Andrea learned about the benefits of flax flour during an internship in Nova Scotia with a dietician who works in a long-term care setting and owns Valley flax flour Inc.

During the month the program began at Garden Terrace, staff administered a total of eight laxatives compared to 564 the month before. The success has prompted OMNI’s home office to look at expanding the program to all of its homes.

At Almonte, Rick says flax flour has eliminated the need for pharmaceutical laxatives for residents in the program. It’s an incredible, natural (assisting) product.”

Rick says introduction of the program required regular co-ordination between the nursing and nutritional care departments. “Now it’s just part of our regular morning routines.”