When you Google what to look for when selecting a nursing home, you will find a result called Choosing the Right Nursing Home – (AARP Bulletin March 19, 2012). The article presents 10 questions that you must ask before moving your parents or loved ones into a new facility. At the top of this list is the question: “How does the food look and taste?” as the number one consideration.
Imagine bringing your aging mother into a nursing home where the meals are delivered on trays, the dining room is noisy, and residents can’t get a refill of iced tea because the staff is too busy. Now, imagine going into a dining room where you see smiling people sitting and talking in a comfortable home-like setting while they enjoy their favorite foods and beverages. So the question is: Which long-term care facility would you rather be the new home of your loved one? The community where the staff works hard to make sure residents enjoy the dining experience with lots of food choices and a pleasant atmosphere, or the facility that employs a clinical team using a diagnosis-based, cookie-cutter approach to feeding the people in their care? The choice is clear, but it is one that you may not have thought to factor into your search for the right assisted living facility or long-term care community for your aging parent