“Food brings people together on many different levels. It’s nourishment of the soul and body; it’s truly love.” – Giada De Laurentii

Don’t underestimate the power of a good meal. From the enjoyment that comes from eating with others to food as medicine, what’s for dinner—and lunch, breakfast and snack time—matters more than you might think. As people age, they lose their taste buds and their appetites often decrease. Yet proper nutrition for older people keeps their energy levels up and helps their bodies protect against and recover from all different types of illness. As you explore senior care options, the quality of the skilled nursing or assisted living food menu should be a key decision criterion.

This is why, at CareOne, we view creating delicious and nutritious meals as part and parcel of our commitment to high-quality care. Through our Signature Dining Program, our chefs give residents a taste of home or their favorite restaurant while catering to their specific dietary requirements. Each skilled nursing and assisted living food menu is designed to satisfy residents’ cravings and provides strong attention to detail with food presentation and fresh ingredients.

[gallery columns="1" size="full" ids="8182,8183"]

Here’s how we make mealtime special and enjoyable for all residents:

Personalizing Meals to Meet Residents’ Needs

Our culinary team works with CareOne dietitians to create menus that support residents’ nutritional goals and leans into their preferences. They collaborate with our activity directors on the meals they’re planning for events, holidays and other special occasions. Examples of holiday staples include delicious whole grain stuffing with pecans and currants at Thanksgiving. For the holidays, our chefs will bake jam dot holiday cookies, or crispy matzah for Passover.

What’s even more unique is that CareOne recreates meals that residents would eat at home, whether they are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher and/or they have specific cultural customs. CareOne at Teaneck is a perfect example. The center is Glatt Kosher, Cholov Yisroel and Pas Yisroel under the kosher supervision of Star-K. Other options can range from specially prepared plant-based meat entrees to vegan potato-leek soup to twice-baked stuffed sweet potatoes. CareOne keeps residents’ favorite dishes in mind year-round and especially on birthdays.

For those with seafood aversions, we focus on preparing other sources of animal and plant-based proteins. We offer “meatless Mondays” but also offer vegetarian and vegan dishes all week long such as gnocchi with spring vegetables and avocado toast with chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. We’ve got our carnivores covered, too. CareOne prepares high-protein meals featuring prime rib and other USDA-certified meat options. We also cook fresh soups and sauces from scratch.

At CareOne, meals are individualized to each facility’s needs. However, there is cohesiveness across buildings so that if residents transfer to another building, they will experience and have access to similar foods that include the same standard of presentation.

Our skilled nursing and assisted living food menu is also dynamic and continuously changing to provide variety and as many nutrients as possible while introducing new dishes that residents will enjoy.

[gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="8185,8186"]

 Ensuring Patient Safety While Eating

CareOne ensures residents can finish their food in a comfortable and safe manner. Our culinary team works with our speech therapists—who help manage swallowing difficulties—to create meals residents can safely eat. The CareOne Perfectly Pureed Program is an accommodating program where pureed foods are prepared to look like traditional solid foods. A pureed diet uses the same meals on the CareOne menu but blends them until smooth so residents (such as those who have difficulty chewing or swallowing) can enjoy their food while getting the nutrition they need. Meals such as lasagna and pork chops are pureed to meet residents’ nutritional goals and are also appealing to taste buds.

 Combining Ingredients to Reach Nutrition Goals

At CareOne, the culinary team uses fresh ingredients to create meals from scratch. A fresh meal generally contains more nutrients, hydration, healthy fats and enzymes in comparison to a frozen meal. Through our partnership with Jersey Fresh, all New Jersey CareOne facilities receive fresh produce. This includes locally grown, organic and seasonal fruits and vegetables to incorporate into meals. When not seasonally available, our team integrates nutritious fruits and vegetables from other sources.

At every facility, infused water is housed in the lobby. The water contains fruits and herbs to keep staff, visitors and residents well-hydrated.

 Making Mealtime Memorable

Good food brings people together and evokes fond memories. Through our signature dining program, residents experience mealtimes in a cozy, restaurant-like atmosphere. Staff encourage residents to eat their meals in a shared space, so they can break bread, exchange stories and enjoy laughter with others.

Our restaurant-style dining supports our mealtime philosophy to nourish residents physically, mentally, and emotionally.

[gallery size="full" ids="8187,8188,8189"]

Getting the Community Involved

Research shows that communal eating plays a critical role in facilitating social connection. The culinary team enhances this feeling of togetherness outside of traditional mealtimes by involving residents in the menu development process. We ask residents for input on upcoming menus. Additionally, they have opportunities to watch cooking competitions and live demonstrations, which many enjoy.

The culinary team also supports the surrounding community through meal donations to local organizations such as nearby colleges, senior centers, food pantries, firehouses and police stations.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Restaurant-style dining promotes social interaction[/caption]

In a Nutshell

When it comes to senior care, good nutrition that tastes great is non-negotiable. CareOne is committed to delivering excellence at every meal, through wholesome ingredients, impeccable presentation and rich flavor.

The post Bon Appetit: What’s On the Skilled Nursing & Assisted Living Food Menu appeared first on CareOne.

[caption id="attachment_8640" align="alignleft" width="480"] Chefs at CareOne Wellington prepared salad lunches for students and staff at last month’s Feed the Hungry fundraiser on Eastwick College’s Hackensack campus.[/caption]

Nurturing a talent pipeline of healthcare professionals across New Jersey is a big part of ensuring we’re hiring the smart and compassionate people who make CareOne great. To build relationships with new talent, it’s important that we develop ties to the community and find creative, hands-on ways to give back. Senior Administrator at CareOne, Charlotte Sodora, organized a new partnership to introduce the CareOne team to Eastwick College students by collaborating with them on a community service project.

Eastwick College’s campuses and Feed the Hungry have worked together for nine years raising money to fight food insecurity, and last year raised $55,000 for 11 food banks. This year, CareOne’s formally trained chefs are partnering with the initiative to prepare and sell lunches on Eastwick campuses. At CareOne we pride ourselves on curating restaurant quality meals using locally sourced ingredients through our Signature Dining Program and we are donating food and labor with all proceeds going directly to Feed the Hungry. Additionally, Eastwick College owner and President Tom Eastwick will match the profits dollar-for-dollar.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for us to make an introduction to the dedicated students at Eastwick, while also participating in a wonderful community effort to help local food banks. Our residents greatly benefit from enthusiastic new faces in our facilities,” said Sodora. “I’ve been working at CareOne for 28 years and have always been so impressed with the talent and work ethic of our younger employees. I love to see the fresh energy that they bring to the building. They not only help us function better, their passion and care for our residents can be felt throughout our buildings.”

CareOne will be serving meals on Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2023) on Eastwick College’s Ramsey campus. As part of this relationship, CareOne will also be named a founding partner with Eastwick College.

The post Serving New Jersey, One Meal at a Time appeared first on CareOne.

PARAMUS, NJ – “It makes my day when a good pot of soup makes someone else’s day.”

That’s pretty much Teresa Gaspar’s motto in life, and it works well for her as Director of Culinary Services for CareOne Livingston where she gets to share her passion for food with the residents.

“Food is a choice we all have, and in a lot of ways, it’s the last choice we have,” Gaspar said.

The executive self-proclaimed foodie said she began working for CareOne in Paramus and then three years ago, moved over to Livingston. Prior to that, she worked for a large hotel chain.

“There was money and prestige in that position, but I wasn’t happy,” she said.

It wasn’t until she got to CareOne that she felt like she was home.

She began asking residents what they wanted for dinner, and instead of relying solely on a menu for the week or even the month, she would whip-up what they want for that evening’s dinner.

“I ask the residents and their families for their recipes,” Gaspar said. “And then I cook it that way. It makes things so familiar for them.”

One resident had stopped eating, but Gaspar’s food inspired her to go from 76 pounds to 102. “Your mom stopped eating?” she asked the family member. “Not on my watch.”

Gaspar said she enjoys the praise: “Your food is amazing, they tell me.”

And the families are extra happy when they see their loved ones with a fresh hair cut or shave, courtesy of Gaspar.

“Sometimes, that little bit of extra love and care makes the resident feel so good,” she said. “Add a good meal to that, and you have happy people.”

During covid when residents were confined to their rooms to prevent rapid spread of the virus, which has proved especially dangerous for seniors, Gaspar said she would pipe music through the halls and bring an ice cream cart around.

“I thought, let’s make every day the best day,” she said. “No gloom and doom here.”

Even when she had her own doubts at the beginning of the pandemic, she was able to get through it with support from her boss. “Less was known about the spread of covid, and I was ready to give up and stay home.”

It was after an 11:30 p.m. call with her boss one night that she changed her mind.

“I had all the PPE I needed: masks, gloves, shield. And my executive director, Marianne Alfano, was on the phone with me one night. It was very reassuring. She helped me to keep going. She said, ‘you got this’,” Gaspar said. “I needed that support. Where else do you get that?”

Gaspar likes to have special meals, on occasion, like banana pancakes for dinner, or hotdogs for breakfast, as she says, “just because.”

She also recruits residents who like to help and be a part of the dining experience. One resident organizes the flowers each week. Gaspar goes out and gets them their request. “I like giving them what they want, it’s their dining room.”

Gaspar said she never regrets her move from the corporate hotel world to CareOne.

“It makes a world of difference when you can see people are happy, you see their clean plates,” she said. “When I see that clean plate, I think, oh my God, I’m so happy.”

So, apparently, are the residents.

Full Article Here

The post A Food Star is Born at CareOne Livingston appeared first on CareOne.