While March is observed as National Nutrition Month to promote making informed food choices, healthy eating and physical activity habits, we would like to share nutritional options available at Carmichael’s locations that do not involve a plate. Our nutrition department offers a variety of oral and enteral nutritional products, including feeding pumps, kits and supplies.

Oral Nutritional Supplements

We offer a large selection of nutritional supplements in a variety of flavors and forms that include milk-based beverages, juice-based beverages, clear liquid beverages, puddings and protein powders. Oral nutritional supplements are used in addition to normal food for older adults and patients with decreased albumin (protein) levels, low appetite, poor food intake and those with or at risk of malnutrition. Oral nutritional supplements also increase a patient’s ability to fight infection, decreasing hospitalization and improving healing and recovery times.

Some of the products we supply are from trusted brands such as Abbott, Llorens, and more. Our locations recently began carrying Kate Farms organic, plant-based medical formulas and nutrition shakes that are easily digested. These beverages are made without common allergens such as dairy, soy, gluten or corn. The medical formulas may be eligible for insurance coverage when prescribed for a covered medical need. Billing specialists at Carmichael’s locations can check and bill insurance.

Enteral Nutrition and Parenteral Nutrition

Our locations provide feeding pumps and bags, tubing, syringes and more for enteral and parenteral nutrition needs at private homes, nursing homes, hospitals and group homes. Enteral nutrition, or tube feeding, delivers food directly to a patient’s stomach or small intestine when the patient is unable to consume enough food to get the nutrients the body needs. Parenteral nutrition provides liquid nutrients through a vein to patients whose digestive systems either cannot absorb or cannot receive solid or liquid food by mouth. Intradialytic parenteral nutrition (IDPN) therapy provides protein and calories to dialysis patients who meet certain criteria and is administered during their regularly scheduled sessions.

Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

If you are already making healthy diet choices but still not getting enough nutrients, vitamin and mineral supplements can help. It is important to talk to your healthcare professional before you take them. They also should be used in addition to healthful foods, not as replacements. Carmichael’s locations offer a large selection of vitamin and mineral supplements that include popular brands such as Good Sense, Nature’s Blend, Nature’s Bounty, Sundown and more.

Services

Carmichael’s team of licensed pharmacists and technicians work with physicians, nutritionists and caregivers to meet the individual nutritional needs of patients through direct delivery of products and equipment, including those that require refrigeration for proper storage of IDPNs, and 24 hours a day on-call service. We serve private homes, nursing homes, hospitals and group homes – in rural areas, too. Please contact a Carmichael’s representative to discuss any oral nutritional supplements or nutrition therapy needs, to request additional information or to check your insurance or other available coverage. Ask about our shipping and hand-delivery services for oral nutrition products and vitamin and mineral supplements.