The Boom in Plant-Based Diets Brings Healthy Creativity to Menus
April 9, 2020
The revolution is here–the veg revolution, that is. Plant-forward eating styles are changing the way residents and communities think about food. “Plant-forward is an eating style focused on plant-based dishes like produce, whole grains, and legumes, but it’s not limited to that,” said Dana Fillmore, registered dietitian and marketing manager at Gordon Food Service. For…
Why We Talk About Food When We Eat, and Other Mysteries Explained
April 9, 2020
It’s a great experience to have a single taste of a favorite food bring us back to another time and place. For writer and historian Nadia Berenstein, such phenomena are a life’s work. She has a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in history and sociology of science with a concentration on flavor. The James…
Women in the Food World: Working, Writing, Persisting
April 9, 2020
One of the first selections in Women on Food: Charlotte Druckman and 115 Writers, Chefs, Critics, Television Stars, and Eaters is a conversation with legendary writer and food historian Betty Fussell (New Yorker, Food & Wine, and the memoir My Kitchen Wars). “I began writing food articles in 1960 for Travel & Leisure, because we…
Spice Blends Are On Trend for Healthy Variety
April 9, 2020
Herbs and spices are a powerhouse addition to senior living dining. They add a personal touch, the excitement of new flavor, and hearken to cultures and travels. Beyond that, they’re the new health boosters: A great way to reduce sodium, have anti-inflammatory properties, and are a prime component of the MIND Diet. The MIND Diet…
Sunshine, Smiles, and Snacks: The Appeal of Outdoor Dining Spaces
April 9, 2020
Outdoor dining spaces are must-haves in today’s senior living communities. Residents can use them throughout the day to enjoy a meal, chat with friends or watch a game of bocce. From a programming perspective, they offer ideal seasonal venues for cocktail hours, barbecues, ice cream socials and even outdoor movie nights. “They are the single…
Career Pathways Help Lead Culinary to Four-Star Engagement
April 9, 2020
How do you reduce a six-month turnover rate by 8.6 percent? Follow the stars. That was one of the answers for Trilogy Health Services, which is seeing dining services turnover drop. In its Southeast division alone, for instance, it went from 47 percent to 23 percent. More important, the numbers reflect a stronger level of…
Suiting Every Taste: Communities find solutions to provide a rich range of choices and independence in dining
April 9, 2020
Mealtime has never been only about the food—that’s been true for humans throughout history. It’s a time to share, to converse, to shine, to appreciate what brings us together and to highlight what’s unique about each of us. In senior living communities, the meaningfulness of that experience can be heightened. “Knowing the importance that food…
Make Every Bite Matter: Tips to Cut Waste
April 9, 2020
Reducing food waste is serious for executive directors and dining managers—more than half in our Forecast Report survey named it their top concern. Lower waste is a marker of resident satisfaction, operational excellence, and reaching sustainability goals. To help in the ongoing quest, experts Dana Fillmore, RD, healthcare customer marketing manager at Gordon Food Service…
Landscaping Can Grow Engagement While It’s Shrinking Expenses
February 18, 2020
Just like many other community operations, landscaping today has to do more with the same resources. While it’s important to offer curb appeal that makes every resident and visitor feel at home and welcomed, landscaping needs to work within a community’s budget—that’s both for establishment and maintenance, today and for the long term. On top…
Measuring Energy Use Nets Benefits, Even When It’s Not Mandatory
February 18, 2020
More dots on the map have appeared since this publication last looked at mandatory building energy benchmarking policies, in 2018. Some have moved beyond benchmarking to requiring performance targets. But as much as the word “mandatory” may make you gulp, energy and water benchmarking itself is relatively easy. “It helps you answer the questions, how…
Keep an Essential Product Clean: Take Good Care of Your Ice Machine
February 18, 2020
It can be surprising to think that ice can “go bad.” After all, ice is often used to keep other foods and drinks safe. “The reality is that dirty ice machines were citied 20 percent of the time on health inspections in 2019,” says Ecolab’s Mandy Sedlak, principal regulatory specialist and food safety and public…
Old Flip Phone or New Smart Speaker? It’s About Usability and Choice
February 18, 2020
Laurie M. Orlov heard it coming—voice and other smart tech was going to change aging. The founder of Aging in Place Technology Watch shares wisdom earned in years as a technology industry analyst consulted by large organizations and entrepreneurs, and by the Wall Street Journal and Business Week. More of her takes on what’s ahead…