New residents of senior living communities may feel overwhelmed or out of place in an unfamiliar setting. Cornerstone Management Services recognizes this risk and makes every effort to ensure that residents feel welcomed and at home in our communities. This is demonstrated by grand gestures like a red-carpet entrance into the community and in the little things, like our thoughtful dining service.

Cornerstone views meals as more than a way to feed our residents nutritious food. The dining at our communities is nutritious, but it is also personalized to each resident and prepared with excellence as the standard. In this article, we will dive into our dining experience and why it matters.

Food Safety

The foundation of every meal at a Cornerstone community is food safety. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, people 65 and older are at a high risk of foodborne illness. Because of the change that immune systems go through with age, they are less likely to successfully fight off disease-causing organisms. Chronic conditions only make immune systems weaker and place a high importance on food safety.

By requiring communities have staff personal hygiene and food handling standards in place, Cornerstone ensures that every meal served in our communities is compliant with all safety regulations and best practices. These are maintained by regular inspections and third-party audits that keep everyone safe.

Resident-Centered Dining

Meals have the potential to be a time of fellowship among residents, an opportunity for them to create memories and enjoy attentive service.

To ensure that mealtimes don’t turn into a reluctant necessity among community members, Cornerstone elevates menu planning, considers the nutritional and dietary needs of residents, creates a welcoming dining ambiance, and provides thorough training to staff.

By incorporating fresh and seasonal ingredients into meals, residents don’t get stuck with the same dishes over and over again. We also make sure that residents’ voices are heard by regularly gathering their feedback on menu preferences and favorite dishes. Themed meals and special dining events are also a staple in Cornerstone communities. They create another reason for residents to look forward to the experiences that Cornerstone meals create.

Nutrition is also top of mind in our communities. Our residents should never be concerned about the dishes we prepare, that is why we work with residents, their families, and healthcare providers to create personalized nutrition plans that accommodate every need. We provide options that fulfill various dietary requirements without sacrificing taste.

The dining experience as a whole is impacted by the environment. We strive to elevate dining with a warm, welcoming atmosphere. From comfortable seating to attentive service, we don’t want our residents to focus on anything but enjoying their meal with the people around them.

Resident-centered dining can only be accomplished by well-trained staff. The culinary and hospitality staff are trained to uphold the standards required for a nutritious, welcoming, and memorable dining experience. They serve with the resident experience in mind.

Encouraging Involvement

We not only desire that our residents enjoy their dining experience, but we also want them involved in the process. Through dining committees, our residents and families can provide feedback on our dining service. We seek to continuously improve with the help of valuable feedback. Another way we encourage resident involvement is through events that allow residents to interact with the chef and learn about the dishes being served. We also encourage our communities to provide cooking classes and demonstrations for residents to learn new skills and gain new insight into the meals they are served.

Creating Healthy Communities

Cornerstone’s mission is to create healthy communities. This mission is what we have in mind as we serve our residents their meals. Our approach to dining blends nutritious meals, attentive service, and a personalized menu to create an experience that encourages our residents to enjoy every meal and build community with other residents and staff.