Supporting Healing and Wellbeing Through Nutrition

Pictured: Lori Bryce, Dietitian Practice Leader and Shefali Mahajan, Registered Dietitian 

March is Nutrition Month, and we’re proud celebrate the important role dietitians play in supporting health, healing, and overall wellbeing at the Delta Hospital Campus of Care. Through evidence-based nutrition care, dietitians help patients and residents build strength, manage health conditions, and improve quality of life.

Registered Dietitian Lori Bryce is the Dietitian Practice Leader at Delta Hospital, where she provides nutrition care to patients on acute care units and leads program planning for Nutrition Services. Lori says nutrition is a critical part of recovery. “Food is more than fuel. It plays a key role in healing and building strength during a hospital stay,” she shares. “Our goal is to make sure patients are well nourished and supported every step of the way.”

Working alongside Lori is Shefali Mahajan, the Registered Dietitian for Mountain View Manor. Shefali supports residents at the long-term care facility, provides care to acute care patients, and offers outpatient nutrition counselling through the Outpatient Dietitian Service and the South Delta Diabetes Program in Tsawwassen. “For many people, nutrition support continues long after they leave the hospital,” says Shefali. “We want patients to know that help is available in the community, whether they are managing diabetes, recovering from illness, or working toward better overall health.”

Both Lori and Shefali emphasize the importance of follow up care after discharge. Patients can be referred to Outpatient Dietitian Services or the South Delta Diabetes Program, and community members can also access dietitian support through a referral from their doctor if they have a health condition that may benefit from nutrition guidance.

Patient safety and quality care are also at the forefront of nutrition services at Delta Hospital. The hospital will soon implement the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative, a global evidence‑based framework that standardizes food textures and liquid consistencies for patients with swallowing difficulties. “This initiative improves communication and safety for patients who need modified diets,” Lori explains. “It ensures everyone involved in care is using the same language and the same standards.” The framework supports collaboration across care teams, including dietitians, nursing staff, food services, and speech language pathologists, helping ensure patients receive the right texture and consistency every time.

This Nutrition Month, we celebrate Lori, Shefali, and all dietitians who bring compassion, expertise, and care to every meal and every patient they support across the Delta Hospital Campus of Care. Thank you, Lori and Shefali, for all you do. We truly appreciate it!