<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> In my earlier question about GF meals in hospitals and nursing homes I received several ideas and opinions. Several felt there should be more discussion on this topic, and most asked me to summarize. Some felt that the fact that hospitals and homes all have a dietician would be sufficient; but others found, as I have, that most dieticians don't know diddley (I think that's the technical term) about any food intolerances. I know one of my doctors last year authoritatively explained to me all about lactose intolerance -- and he was sadly outdated and wrong. I have arranged the most interesting parts of the best replies in order from positive to negative. -vance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ skilled nursing homes and hospitals in the US are required to have a licensed dietician. Most of them are excellent. Make an appointment and discuss your needs with her/him JG Maines MD as for hospitals-the food is always bad but when I was there they just gave me a GF menu and I ordered a bunch of side dishes and mixed things with what I had brought from home like salad dressing, etc. Six months ago when I gave birth and was in the hospital (in Provo, Utah), I told the nurses and they were very accomodating to my needs. They even sent a dietician in to make sure of what I could and could not eat. Even so, of course, there wasn't much available that I could eat, so I always asked them to bring me extra fruit and yogurt. In Arizona, my current thinking [for a relative in a nursing home] is that we might do all the cooking and take over GF meals, ready for the freezer, in two-week batches. Or perhaps one-month batches. Download the basic info and bring it with you. Demand to talk to the head dietican and nurse. Go over the diet with them, explaining what you cannot tolerate. I always end my lttie talk by telling them that if I have a gluten poisoning (my term) I will make sure that I have most of the attack in THEIR office, esp the projectile diarrhea, and vomitting. When I was in hospital a couple years ago they didn't have the faintest idea what Celiacs could and could not have.........that was info from the dietician. I also have many food allergies including all diary, eggs, etc. so I told them what I could have. I had potatoes, veggies with no seasonings and baked chicken. That is all! The cook stopped at the store on the way to the hospital in the morning so I could have Cream of Rice. I thought that was very nice of him!! Otherwise they did not have a thing I could have had for breakfast. I have no confidence in hospital food. If you go there, bring your own, have your friends, spouse, support group members bring meals. Even if they order gluten-free, the dietitians don't actually prepare, assemble or serve the food, and those who do haven't a clue. You had the right idea about hospitals. It's best to have your own food, just in case. I took GF instant broth along, for right after my surgery, also fruit, rice cakes, etc. I did eventually find that their food service offered a small range of special diets, and requested a wheat-free, allergic diet. This finally got me plain baked meats and fish and steamed rice and veggies, very bland--no gravies, no spices (not even salt & pepper!) but it was safe! But at first they still tried to give me English muffins, etc.! (The serving staff thought no wheat meant "no whole wheat." And they had no clue what Gluten Free Diet on my chart meant.) Get hold of the head dietician if you can. I have been an RN for forty years and was just diagnosed last year. the dietitians that I work with are unfamiliar in planning or accommodating a Gluten Free diet. I also volunteer in a long term care facility and have realized there that it would be very difficult to maintain a GF diet. We had a similar experience with a hospital in Columbia, SC-USA when my sister (celiac) went there. It is frightening because they almost killed her in the hospital because they were so *!&# and many other bad things I could say about them. Why do hospital dietitians know so LITTLE about celiac!!