The Pioneer Network has finalized and published nationally agreed upon new food and dining standards for people living in nursing homes. The report includes 62 pages of evidenced-based research that spotlights the connection between the residents’ dining experience and their quality of life. Designed to shift food and dining standards from traditional diagnosis-focused treatment to individualized care and self-directed living, these new standards underscore what Kind Dining® Training has always taught: residents who are highly satisfied with meals, food and the dining experience are more satisfied in their living environment and healthier overall.

The New Dining Practice Standards are in-line with Quality Indicator Survey (QIS) processes and Pioneer Network anticipates Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will refer to these standards where they fit within current long-term care interpretive guidelines. Twelve national professional associations have already agreed to support the standards.

Are you ready to implement the new standards? The next challenge for senior living communities that want to stay on the competitive edge, is to integrate these standards into everyday dining practice. Staff training and new organizational expectations will be key to changing dining standards in your senior residence.

“[Kind Dining®] training materials are consistent with the new recommendations,” according to Dr. Sandra F. Simmons, Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University, Center for Quality Aging, who participated in the Pioneer Network Food and Dining Clinical Standards Task Force. Which means, if your staff has already participated in Kind Dining® Training, you are ahead of the game in implementing the new standards. As you familiarize yourself with the new standards, if you have questions about how to train your staff, please feel free to call me.