How do you see the work you do?

“How did you come to work in this assisted living community?” Maryann, who is a part-time food server on Spring Break from college, asked Helen. They formed a friendly/mentor relationship since Maryann first came to work and now shared a table during their lunchtime. “Well,” Helen said, “my kids were off to college, like you” she smiled. “I married young … Continue reading

Do your food servers encourage new residents?Kind Dining

Do your food servers encourage new residents?

  Many seniors will decide to leave their present home and make their new and final home in a senior or an assisted living community. This is a lifetime decision and not one that is made lightly. When keeping this in mind, your food servers have the power to reassure any hesitancy of these new residents. Incorporating kindness into their … Continue reading

Are your food servers aware of the emotions of starting over for residents?

Are your food servers aware of the emotions of starting over for residents?

Starting over. Your new residents are starting over, sometimes after living in the same house for 50 or 60 years. They had to downsize, give away, donate, or throw away their lifetime of brick a brac, and souvenirs. Art treasures and wall hangings must go. There is no room in their new home. Clothes closets must be reduced to fit … Continue reading

Do your coworkers extend the hand of friendship to one another? Kind Dining

Do your coworkers extend the hand of friendship to one another?

Many friendships are formed and carried through long periods of time over the lunch/dinner table. ‘Let’s meet for lunch’ is a common phrase that indicates wanting to spend some time with a friend. It’s nice to have lunch served to you but it’s the friendship that is the magnet. Even casual friendships are important to us. To share a meal … Continue reading

Does your food serving team bring holiday cheer along with the meals?

It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol, Little Women, and Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer are a few from a long list of stories of Christmas where kindness wins the day. Winter Holidays, no matter which one you celebrate, are a time for generosity, thoughtfulness, and kindness . The holiday season can be exceptionally difficult for … Continue reading

What are you communicating without realizing it?

Looking at it from a resident’s point of view, after their own grooming, followed by waiting for hours for their next meal, what do they see when you enter their room? Can they rely on an enthusiastic “Hello, Mr./Mrs. …, How are you doing today?”  Can they see a smile behind the mask being worn? The smile that moves up … Continue reading

 Is it time for change and celebrations?

It’s important to continue having celebrations in this time of extreme caution and stress. Have you ever been in a restaurant when the table or two over from you received a cake lit with candles and the wait staff singing Happy Birthday? Didn’t it make you and the other diners around smile, maybe applaud or even join in the song? … Continue reading

Can robots replace your food serving team?

Already many stories have come out of our physical distancing for more than a month now. One I heard recently concerned a woman’s husband who was ill but not with the symptoms of the novel coronavirus. The husband didn’t have a cough at all, or fever, muscle pain, chills, loss of taste or smell, or any shortness of breath. He … Continue reading

Is your food serving team interacting with your residents?

Serving food has always been so much more than bringing food to the table. Every person who loves being in the kitchen or has restaurant life in their blood system knows that “Bad service can ruin a good meal yet good service can save a bad one.” Even your finest chefs will tell you that. When it comes to senior … Continue reading

The #3 Truth That You Cannot Ignore

Truth # 3 The Gap Between Expectation and Service. What makes my husband and I drive 1½ hours to dine at a particular restaurant when there are six good dining establishments within a mile of our home? Answer: the owners and staff will welcome us with sincere delight. Their service and food will be everything we anticipate. This created ambiance … Continue reading