What a great thing: Palm Lake Care taste-tests food to see if the residents enjoy it
The dining experience in residential aged care has an incredible impact on a resident's happiness and wellbeing. If visiting a home, be sure to ask to sit for lunch or dinner.
"At Palm Lake Care, we are encouraged to be innovative, collaborative, and creative,” said Kelly Roberts, Service Manager.
Palm Lake Care Deception Bay, in the coastal suburb in Moreton Bay, is clearly living up to those challenges and its attention to the food offerings deserve credit.
"Our first winter menu meeting commenced in our theatre. We started by asking the residents to close their eyes and imagine a cold winter's evening," Kelly said.
"We told them to imagine the snow gently falling outside and a warm fire crackling in the fireplace. The table is set with a beautiful, hearty dinner that promises to comfort and nourish.
"The aroma of the hearty meal fills the room, creating a cozy atmosphere that beckons you to the table. As you take your first bite, the flavours melt in your mouth, bringing a sense of satisfaction and contentment. The meal is accompanied by a glass of rich red wine and finished with a decadent dessert. We then asked the residents to open their eyes and tell us the first meal that came to their mind.
"Immediately the residents were discussing roasted meats, savoury stews, and baked casseroles. The suggestion of a richly flavoured slow-cooked dish, paired with buttery mashed potatoes or crusty bread, was met with many residents agreeing that this meeting shouldn’t be completed before lunch as tummies were starting to grumble. Desserts like apple pie, warm chocolate pudding, or bread pudding topped with a dollop of whipped cream were the suggestions for a perfect ending to a cozy winter meal.
“Palm Lake Care Deception Bay's chef manager then used the information to create the first draft of our new winter menu. The first draft was published for the residents to peruse. Feedback and suggestions were welcomed and played a critical role with the publishing of the second draft winter menu.
"We held a second collaborative meeting with the residents where we provided several menu items for them to taste. The Malaysian fish curry was the highlight of the meeting. The tasting of the menu created beautiful conversations amongst the residents about their worldly travels to exotic places. One of our residents suggested we add fresh oregano to our beef stew, and it certainly has taken the humble stew to a new level of satisfaction,” said Kelly.
Then a special meeting of the Personal Care Assistants (pictured above) to discuss the menu was held. The purpose was for the carers to understand the menu so they can empower the residents to make informed menu choices. The carers also tried several menu items. One carer even said, “I had no idea what beef goulash was until today.” Several of our carers were taken out to experience a fine dining meal and it certainly created a conversation about how we can elevate the dining experience for our residents.
"The rollout of our winter menu was met with excitement, especially as it was also a very cold week for us in Deception Bay. Our residents all have access to our dining experience feedback forms and every day we collate this feedback to identify areas of improvement. Our chefs speak with residents after every meal to gather immediate feedback,” Kelly said.
"Other Palm Lake Care communities throw 5-star fine dining experiences for the residents. Recently, one of our communities had an exquisite seafood buffet on the deck overlooking the beautiful ocean. In essence, we listen to our residents and are inspired to enhance their experience of being in residential aged care."
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