Page 33 - Life Happens in the Kitchen

2. Open Dining Times
a-Find a way to expand the meal times in your facility. Rigid, set meal times with no opportunity for individualization are incompatible with enhanced dining. Start with breakfast to give residents the opportunity to start their day their way and to relieve staff from the pressure of having everyone in the dining room at a predetermined hour. A change as simple as adding an opportunity for independent diners to start breakfast early or finish late will have little impact on staffing the dining room but
will make a huge difference in the quality of dining in the facility. Of course, more is better, so expanding noon and supper meal options is worthy of consideration, but the biggest difference comes with breakfast.
b-Creative staffing makes open dining possible without increased labor costs. Dietary staff can serve and provide set up assistance with proper training. Be sure appropriate staff is represented in the dining area for resident safety and to prevent accidents such as choking. Multitasking and cross-training of staff will control costs.
c-Federal Tag 368 requires no more than 14 hours to elapse between the evening and morning meals. As long as the morning meal is available within 14 hours, the intent of this regulation is met. Resident choice is required according to Tag 242 “Self-Determination.”
d-Park Centre, a Wesley Retirement community in Newton, IA, implemented open dining with better than expected outcomes. And at The Village Health Center in Indianola, IA, another Wesley Retirement community, open breakfast not only offers more food choices but also the opportunity for residents to get up when they wish. Lights are kept low in the hallways, and staff quietly wait until residents pull their call lights and ask to get up. Residents linger and visit through breakfast and the relaxed pace sets the tone for the rest of the day.
Recipe for Success
a-what’s the opportunity – terms/description
b-ups and downs c-regulatory considerations d-stories/examples
STAGE TWO: TRANSFORMATIONAL
Page 27
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