Mary was talking on her cell phone lamenting to her mother about turning 30 and facing new challenges and changes.

“Hah!” Her mother laughed and wished her a Happy Birthday. They lived on opposite coastlines of the country and couldn’t be together to celebrate. “You have no idea about changes,” she said. “The women moving into our Senior Living Community nowadays have seen changes in their lifetimes! When they were your age they wore stockings with seams up the back, housedresses, and rarely wore slacks. It was a man’s world back in the day. That’s change!  At 30 you are still a puppy.”

“Yes, I guess you are right,” Mary replied. “I guess I need to get used to change.”

“Furthermore, this past year and a half have seen many changes here in the Community. We now attend training sessions to keep employees up to date and aware of new routines and ideas. The Pandemic has pushed us into a new awareness of the contact we have with all the older generations that live here. It has encouraged healthy and hospitable changes for the residents and for us food servers, too.”

Mary’s mother went on to tell her daughter about her improved working relationships with coworkers related to directives of culture change.  She made the effort to know the residents better through the restrictions that Coronavirus brought on. With determined ‘pay attention discipline and practice, she adjusted easily. New laws and regulations are constantly bringing change. The national movement of culture change is finally transforming services to person-centered and person-directed care. Food serving teams are alerted to the individuality of residents they serve, getting to know them and hearing their requests by offering respect and consideration in their choices. The same consideration and respect are also promoted between coworkers. Helping each other to provide improved service is a goal many have set for themselves and their food serving teams. Setting these goals creates dignity, self-respect, and determination to work better not harder. Kind Dining♥ training inspires food servers to view their responsibilities in a way to give the employees a sense of meaning, significance, and purpose in their work.

A true sense of belonging is created when culture change is honored. This comes to both new and long-time residents and to the administration and staff of all job descriptions. A community where all feel the trust that derides from a bond of belonging builds a community of meaningful involvement, a community that flourishes.

B♥ Kind ®Tip:  Learn how culture change is making a difference.