When a friend of mine was widowed all her friends gathered around her to give her comfort. They also agreed among themselves that she would be included in all their functions in the future so she would not feel left out, even though they were couples and she was not...
As a friend and I were reminiscing about our teen years, she mentioned the agony of walking into a school dance and not knowing what to do, where to go and hoping someone would come to her rescue. A single or widowed resident may feel that same agony when entering...
A Sense of Home When I was growing up I was encouraged to invite a special friend to join us at lunch or dinner. This was a bonding factor in our friendship. It told her, without words, that she was special and belonged in the nucleus of our family. It has long been...
Hospitality Made Easy Hospitality is much easier than your servers may think. Starting the day with a positive attitude, knowing this will make life easier for others, and smoother for them, is a win-win situation. A smile is contagious even to people who think they...
Hospitality Made Easy Growing up I was fortunate enough to interact with guests at our dinner table often. I learned naturally how to enjoy and extend hospitality. Later when I was a food service director I realized that others were not so lucky. I saw that my...
Your Role in Hospitality Remember to let your staff carry the pride of their community while fulfilling their role when serving in the dining room. Their performance matters! A successful dining room is more than correctly placing plates in front of a resident....
Importance of Knowing the Goal and Your Role Anyone that looks will notice a team that works smoothly together whether you attend a catered party or dine out in the new rave restaurant in the next town over. It’s the difference in an Olympic couple dancing on the ice...
Stop, Look & Listen; Where Can You Improve Service? When I was a child and trains carried the heavy load that tractor-trailers do now, there were a lot of railroad tracks to cross, enough to plant the phrase that I still carry in my mind. Today it makes me think...
The best experience you can give your residents is the employee who loves to come to work every day. This is the result of taking the hassle out of the hospitality you offer. Encourage all of your employees to become friendly with each other, to work as a team,...
Now is a good time to pay attention to particulars that may arise with the holidays coming up on the horizon. Seniors often prefer inviting family and friends to the community instead of breaking their routines by going out. This proved to be true when an informal...
Kind Dining Six Truths are especially important during the end-of-the-year holidays beginning with Thanksgiving. Truth #3 teaches that residents will appreciate being served by positive thinking staff during this joyous season. This bringing warmth to the table® will...
Nutrition has always been a main concern in any community. Yet there is so much more to nutrition than vitamins and minerals. Kind Dining® training feeds the overall person, addressing the taste that goes into a resident, as well as what they see, hear, and feel. This...
New Regulations, Kind Dining Truths & More The stress on new regulations of participating in the Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) programs has arrived. While they extend for three phases, phase one’s spotlight, which began November 28, 2016 focuses on food,...
In our series: 6 Truths About Your Business You Can’t Ignore Fresh local food on your table is an old idea made new again! Forming a good relationship is healthy. Forming a healthy relationship with your local farmers is a great way to benefit both of you. The...
Investing in Your Employees is the Most Effective Way to Accomplish Culture Change The company’s greatest asset is its people; people who are now facing change that is happening at the speed of light. Your employees need to thrive in this environment in order to meet...
Truth #5: You're Most Dependent on Your Lowest Paid, Least Trained Staff. Raising dining standards most effectively means training all your staff to shine in the dining room. It does not mean adding a faux palm tree in the corner of the room. Your servers and...
March is National Nutrition Month, when the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reminds everyone to return to the basics of healthy eating. It is also the time of year when the Academy celebrates expertise of registered dietitian nutritionists as the food and nutrition...
Truth #4 The Individual Resident of this Generation is Different The younger Boomers are filling our communities today. A new ‘help-yourself cart’ on the side of the dining room will not satisfy their desires. Their refined palates want the variety of culture found in...
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....
The week of February 6 - 10, 2017 is almost here and that marks Pride in Foodservice Week. This recognition week applauds nutrition and foodservice professionals and other members of the nutrition services team for their hard work and dedication on the job. We’d love...
Truth #2 Mealtimes are the Core of Your Community. Mealtimes are so much more than nourishing the body of each resident. It’s a time to form new, or replenish, the friendships they’ve made in the community and their acquaintance with your servers. Socializing is an...
Truth # 1 is a trumpet announcing that your dining room is the best marketing tool you have! It’s the authentic showcase to the public, the foundation of social life in your community. It’s where your residents will break bread with their family and friends during...
