ELDERLY people are eating their way to good health thanks to the success of a pioneering project.

Dietitians have come up with a scheme to maximise the number of calories in the food served to residents of care homes in Darlington and County Durham.

Focus on food is run by South Durham and Darlington Nutrition and Dietetic Service with the support of primary care trusts and Darlington College.

Care home staff and housekeepers are taught about the importance of nutrition and how to prepare food with the maximum number of calories.

Dietitian Rachael Masters said: "Many elderly people often find themselves under-nourished. There is a misconception that they need fewer calories a day because they are not as active, when in actual fact they require almost the same.

"Sometimes elderly people can forget to eat, they haven't much of an appetite and the food doesn't taste as nice, or they could have difficulty swallowing. So it is important to provide meals that are tasty, attractive and full of calories."

One pensioner, Connie Smales, became under-nourished after a bout of illness and a stay in hospital.

She became a resident at Middleton Hall, Middleton St George, where she joined the programme and is now able to live a more independent life in her own flat at Middleton Hall.

Middleton Hall general manager Debby Lamont said: "As soon as we heard about the programme, we volunteered to take part.

"Any elderly person who is under-nourished is much more susceptible to illness and discomfort, so treating malnutrition can have a big impact on their quality of life.

"We now assess every client who comes to Middleton Hall to identify malnutrition and treat it as necessary through adjustments in diet."

Darlington College has record numbers of students signed up for the next seven-week course that starts this month.

Cooks are instructed in the best way to prepare meals and can gain a nationally-recognised qualification.