News Releases
CURA HOSPITALITY CREATES CULTURE CHANGE GUIDE; PREPARES ASSISTED LIVING ADMINISTRATORS FOR DINING FUTURE
OREFIELD, PA, August 19, 2009– Cura Hospitality launched its “Culture Change” guide that helps administrators enhance the quality of life for assisted living and skilled care residents by providing the steps and information requirements to transition dining and hospitality services from a medical model to an individualized and social model that creates a home-like environment, while improving the work satisfaction levels of staff.
According to Cura President and Founder Mitch Possinger, “Culture change is the common name given to the industry movement for transforming older adult services, particularly those services provided in a skilled care environment.”
In this comprehensive guide, Cura provides a step-by step process, tools and resources that help to: incorporate home-style dining services; improve nutrition among residents since they are more inclined to eat in a social environment; procure equipment for alternative kitchens so residents (with staff assistance) may prepare their own foods; design outdoor and green spaces that helps to improve residents’ health; create gardens where residents may harvest foods that are used in the preparation of daily menu items; and most importantly, train our staff and clients staff to provide personalized services that re-creates the memories and family comforts of home.
“Our goal is to be a resource for our clients in implementing their individual culture change dining and hospitality initiatives – at whatever stage their community is in. Cura’s guide has something for everyone,” says Possinger.
CURA AND ADMINISTRATORS ENHANCE LIFE AROUND GREAT FOOD THROUGH CULTURE CHANGE
JUST LIKE HOME
Shenango Presbyterian SeniorCare in New Wilmington, PA, create the comforts of home for skilled, dementia and assisted living residents who now have the opportunity to sit at the “kitchen table” where their order is taken by a member of the dining or nursing staff. In fact, staff will often sit with our residents and engage them in conversation and laugh – just like a family member would do at home. Executive Chef William Hockenberry also prepares residents’ favorite recipes, straight from their “mental cook books”. This gives residents the opportunity to enjoy favorite foods and smells that rekindle fond memories of their home.
ALTERNATIVE KITCHENS
At Phoebe Richland Health Care Center in Richlandtown, PA, administrator Mary Kay McMahon, RN, MHA, NHA, established three home-style dining and activity rooms for short-term, long-term and dementia residents. Entrees are prepared in the main kitchen and delivered to a pantry kitchen in each dining room. The food is kept hot in the pantry kitchen, then plated and served to residents as they request their meals. Beverages, desserts and other cold selections are easily accessible from the pantry kitchen refrigerator. Residents now have the opportunity to socialize while they enjoy fresh, delicious, home-style food in a new and cheery environment.
Hanna HealthCare Center at Longwood in Verona, PA., replaced its tray-line system with free-standing country kitchens. A country kitchen is larger than a pantry kitchen and resembles a kitchen from home, complete with appliances. Entrees are kept hot in steam tables that are surrounded by a large counter top, while soups, sandwiches and quick-serve items, such as hot dogs and grilled cheese, are prepared to order. Residents, with the assistance of recreational services staff, also may use the country kitchen to prepare food. “Residents look forward to eating in the country kitchen because of its openness to living and activity areas. This increases socialization, mobility, as they need to walk to the dining room, and overall well-being,” says Michael K. Haye, executive director of Longwood at Oakmont.
GROW YOUR OWN
Many older adults want to know where their food is grown and harvested. In May, residents of The Bridges at Bent Creek, Mechanicsburg, PA., participated in the first Grower’s Day. With the help and instruction of a local green house owner, residents learned how to plant and care for vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, peppers, arugula and tomatoes. The Bridges executive chef uses the harvest to prepare meals, and marks the menu so residents know when they’re enjoying the fruits of their labor.
At Peter Becker Community in Harleysville, PA, gardening improves residents’ health by helping to keep them active, inspire and create enjoyment. “For me, gardening is a hobby and therapy which also helps me to stay active and eat healthier,” says Ron Moyer, Peter Becker resident, who plants peas, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, lima and string beans every year on a 50 by 50 plot located on the community’s acre-plus garden.
Cura helps to keep gardens healthy by composting pre-consumer food waste on-site, including vegetable waste, cardboard, leaves and woodchips on-site. The composted material is returned back to the residents’ on-site gardens where natural fertilization yields safer and healthier crops.
