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Presentation Matters
Presentation Matters
Presentation matters, at least when it comes to food preparation in a nursing home, according to a recent Jewish Home Lifecare-funded study exploring the relationship between the dining experience and 
overall satisfaction with food and mealtime.
With many nursing homes going through “culture change” transformations to improve elder care and quality of life, this study provides insight on how to make an impact at mealtime.
The dining experience in nursing homes has traditionally been institutional–style: tray service, meals timed to facility needs, and little menu variety, and has often been the focus of elder and family displeasure. But with the limited finances, staffing and time constraints most long-term facilities face, it is important to pinpoint which components of the dining experience should be addressed first.
This study of long term care residents found that the greatest predictor of overall enjoyment of food and mealtime was food appearance. Additionally, food presentation was the only dining component also significantly related to elder ratings of overall satisfaction in the nursing home, the likelihood of recommending the facility to others, and satisfaction with staff.
Source:
Culinary Culture Change: Improving Elder Quality of Life at Mealtime: Orah Burack, MA, Audrey Weiner MPH, DSW, and Joann P. Reinhardt, PhD. Presented at the 63rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, New Orleans, LA.
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