HaroldUrman
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May 29, 2009, 9:25 AM
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By Harold N. Urman, Ph.D., Co-founder of Vital Research
and Cindy Heilman, MS, CEO of Higher Standards
No matter what type of retirement living option one selects (e.g., CCRC, assisted living, RCFE), food service plays a significant role in the lives of people who live there and the staff who prepares and serves meals. What was once just called a meal has now become “dining” to reflect the entire eating experience. According to the findings from the 2008 Foodservice Directors Survey, over one-third of food service directors stated “the dining experience is a time and place in which residents could socialize with one another and staff.” Food service directors also believe that the dining experience adds to residents’ quality of life.
So why has “dining” become such an important focus for retirement communities? Well, one obvious reason is that in many communities meals are served two to three times a day, and consume a significant amount of residents’ time. Retirement communities have to deal with the reality that they are serving the same people day after day, up to three times day. This translates to over 1,000 meals per year to the same people in the same community.
Another reason “dining” has become so important, it that a high quality dining experience can become one way retirement communities differentiate themselves from each other. Therefore, maintaining high levels of resident satisfaction with dining is a key component of overall quality of life.
So, what do residents think of dining services in retirement living. According to the Vital Research national database of Independent (IL) and Assisted Living (AL) Residents, satisfaction is high for most areas associated with meals. Figures 1 and 2 shows that residents in both Independent and Assisted Living get the food they like, get a variety of foods, their food is cooked correctly and at the right temperature, and they can decide when they want to eat. On the other hand, residents feel the menu is repeated too often and all the food tastes the same, which is often a problem when the same people are being served each day.
When residents were asked about the dining experience, over 95% of residents were satisfied that the “dining room staff are pleasant” (99%), the “dining room is clean” (99%), and the “staff is knowledgeable about the menu options” (97%).
These data clearly indicate that across the country retirement communities are maintaining high levels of resident satisfaction with dining. Yet, if all the communities in our database are performing so well, what differentiates one community from another? The answer may not be related to food at all, but might be associated with the personal connections between residents and residents and staff.
According to Cindy Heilman, who has developed the Kind Dining® training program specifically directed towards serving staff who work in retirement communities, “sharing meals is one of the most satisfying actions we do as human beings.” We talk, we laugh, we discuss, and we interact with each other. The time together fosters friendships and strengthens connections. These life experiences are no different in a senior care community.
The connection that residents make over meals with others in their community is vital to their happiness and sense of belonging. Research shows that in senior care communities, the more residents enjoy their dining experience, the higher they rate their overall satisfaction with living in that community. (Press Ganey. National Trends in Healthcare satisfaction report 2006 [nursing, assisted, independent]).
Providers need to understand what restaurateurs already know, that servers interactions with residents influence their view of the organization. It is the server who creates the ambiance of the meal and is a central figure in dining quality.
Servers must understand their role in creating opportunities for residents to have enriching conversations and connections with each other. It is not unusual for residents to interact with servers more often than their own families. When servers make a genuine effort to spark conversation and show caring interest, it creates a much happier living, dining, and work experience for all.
Servers are not born with this knowledge, they are nurtured. Therefore, staff training is key to transforming your communities’ dining experience to enhance social connections while providing good meal service.
To assist those who don’t have the time or resources to create their own training, Cindy Heilman has developed a 9-module training series call Kind Dining®—Bringing warmth to the table. It establishes service standards and teaches the specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are necessary to ensure consistent hospitality and quality service to senior diners. Throughout the series, servers from all departments and across all levels of care are taught to respect residents and their home environment as they perform their work. At the same time they learn foundational serving skills and benefit from the improved atmosphere of teamwork and communication.
The benefit of using Kind Dining® training is the consistent training principles designed for senior diners;
. The focus of service shifts to put the residents’ needs first.
. Service quality becomes consistent in every dining area (Independent Assisted, and Skilled Nursing).
. All personnel involved in serving food develop a broader perspective on their work and a greater sense of purpose.
. Staff understands current challenges in respective departments and learns how to support each other.
Offering education and training that specifically teaches servers how to genuinely connect with their co-workers and residents benefits everyone living and working in the community.
In summary, providing satisfying meals in a clean and comfortable environment does not address all aspects of the dining experience. Understanding the importance of the relationship between residents and the staff who serve them is an essential component that cannot be taken for granted.
Harold N. Urman, Ph.D. is an educational psychologist and co-founder of Vital Research, a consulting firm specializing in research and evaluation. Established in 1982 and based in Los Angeles, Vital Research is a national research and consulting firm with expertise in senior living services satisfaction measurement.
Cindy Heilman, MS, is the CEO of Higher Standards, an Oregon-based hospitality company. Born from her vision to transform residential meal priorities and dining for senior residents, Cindy created her training and educational outfit - Higher Standards.
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(This post was edited by HaroldUrman on May 29, 2009, 10:00 AM)
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