Kay's Concierge Service

I may have mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. When shopping around for a new home for aging loved ones, I have learned it is very helpful to visit someone living in an assisted living facility. Since what we eat is vitally important for our health and wellbeing, stopping in at mealtime to observe what is being served is a prudent idea. So, think about this visit in a strategic way.

Also, while you are at the facility, ask to see the weekly menus. For years, I have watched people in assisted living centers leave plates of food that have been ‘forked through’, left uneaten, and haphazardly covered with a table napkin. It pains me to see this and to mention it.  Now, I know when cooking for large numbers of people it is difficult to make each & every person happy. None-the-less, the way in which food is placed on a plate can change the appetite for it. Assisted living facilities should know how to entice their clients to eat healthy food.

Unfortunately, the food served at these facilities is mostly over processed, frozen items that are not easily digested by elderly people. Often plates served are mostly white food with no color appeal.  If the kitchen staff have taken the effort of preparing the food, then the appearance is the final touch and they are sadly missing that in most facilities.  A sprig of parsley or mint would help. Or, better yet, adding colorful vegetables that accent other food items would be more appealing to the eye. Like the picture below, isn’t that more enticing the picture above?

These are just a few things to think about when visiting assisted living facilities. It pays to do this, the marketing people will tell you what you want to hear. But, you know how the saying goes … the proof is in the pudding! You must try it.