b'FOOD & DININGImproving the dining experiencewith a customer mindsetSchlegel Villages shares their experienceBy Kristian PartingtonW hen it comes to food andGranted, this is no easy feat, especiallyyoure engaging with residents and nutrition for the 77,000when dining teams are often underhaving fun.Ontarians who make theirpressure due to staffing shortages, home in a long-term care environment,as outlined in a report released inBetween 2014 and 2016, a research there are a number of challenges careDecember by Ontarios Office ofteam led by Dr. Heather Keller, partners face. The needs of residentsthe Auditor General. Many people inSchlegel Chair in Nutrition and Aging grow ever more complex while thethe dining sector find it difficult towith the Research Institute for Aging struggle to find and retain quality teamreconcile mandated tasks with the less(RIA), explored the eating habits and members to meet those needs seemstangible, but critically important, neednutritional intake of some 600 long-to grow more difficult by the day. Forfor resident connection, autonomy,term care residents from 32 homes in many, it feels as though there is aand choice during mealtimes.four Canadian provinces.constant need to do more with less.One of the problems that I find,The Making the Most of Mealtimes Rethinking the mealtime experiencegenerally speaking, throughout thestudy concluded that when their and pushing aside the institutionalsector when I talk with other peoplepreferences, needs, and values model of food service in long-termwere respected and they were care is a critical challenge, which, ifis that many people in the diningtreated as valued customers by overcome, could drastically improvearea have trouble recognizing thatthose serving them, long-term care not only health and nutrition for long- having a good resident experienceresidents nutritional intake improved. term care residents but their overalland still performing the clinical or taskWhen they enjoyed their mealtime quality of life. We must learn to thinknature of the routine arent mutuallyexperience rather than it being just of residents as customers, as worthy inexclusive, says Virginia Millar, Directoranother routine in their day, they every way of our dedication to qualityof Hospitality and Dining with Schlegelate more and their health outcomes as any patron of any restaurant in Villages. You can still provide theimproved. Reimagining our approach our communities.technical part of the routine whileto mealtimes may take some effort 28 LONG TERM CARE TODAY Spring/Summer 2020'