Anita M: None yet, hope to make small changes in near future. Both facilities have DSS positions vacant......just struggling to stay a float on day to day activities for now.
Lauren H: I think the biggest change is having the dining rooms look more like a formal dining room as opposed to cafeteria
style. Also, having menus available so residents can request items.
Lolita F: From my observation they have formal dinners during special occasions, breakfast meals prepared like when they go out to eat in restaurants. Food Service Director/Dietary Supervisors go to residents room to ask and obtain food preferences, or if they have any concerns about the food. Consultant RD comes in to speak to resident if requested by resident/resident's family.
Annie F: One facility implemented a restaurant-style dining program about a year ago. Another facility is in the process of remodeling their facility to have more home-like features (hardwood-type floors in the residents' rooms & carpeting throughout the facility). Yet another facility plans to implement a semi-select menu to allow residents to have more of a choice in their meal selections.
Stephanie H: Meal service by table, resident choice meals, summer BBQ's.
Susan M: The DSS is in the process of implementing restaurant style dining.
Susanna M: Pets on wards, no non-emergency overhead paging, snack stations, personal shoppers (social services dept),
Best of all, these look great... HMC should get a pattern, sew, and sell them: bibs designed to look like shirts (reversable masculine/feminine)
Tony N: Large Catholic population with many retired clergy residents that are served in the facility. Meat and meatless options (Fish)are served every Friday secondary to many Catholics not eating meat on Fridays even pre-post Lent.
Deborah N: At one facility a server takes each table's order and then comes back to the kitchen to prepare each plate. (This is an assisted living facility) The Alzheimers unit does not have this option. Another facility is a very small facility (approx. 80) many with psychological issues so the DSS goes around and asks each resident what they want for the next day and then that is what is sent out. We still have a lot of work on implementing this into a restaurant setting.
Registered Dietitian Newsletter
Lolita F: As mentioned above, in some cases in the clinical aspect of it if there have been some significant changes noted during assessing nutritional status of residents , I talk to residents/family as well and explain ithe mportance of nutrition with regards to the health and well-being of the resident. Always put in consideration to honor their requests considering restrictions as well. 