Author Question: Imagine that you are the dining services director of a new long-term care living center. You have ... (Read 123 times)

Shelles · **on:** Aug 10, 2018

Imagine that you are the dining services director of a new long-term care living center. You have been tasked with hiring the dining room resident assistants.

What skill set will you be looking for in applicants? Why are these skills important in long-term care dining service, specifically?

Question 2

How do resident health needs differ between independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing communities? How does this affect the dining services?

What will be an ideal response?

Chelseyj.hasty · **Reply #1 on:** Aug 10, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Ideal candidates will not only possess cooking and/or serving skills, but also exceptional customer service skills to provide a home-like, social environment for residents.
Candidates must possess exceptional attention to detail to ensure that all diet orders are completed accurately. While inaccuracy in a resident's order may be unsatisfactory in a restaurant setting, such an error could have significant health consequences in a long-term care setting.
Candidates must be able to accurately follow rules and regulations, which is particularly important in this environment where dining service is subject to federal, state, and local regulations and failing inspections can have dire consequences for the entire long-term care living center.

Answer to Question 2

In an independent living setting, residents require little or no assistance with activities of daily living, but may utilize support services, such as housekeeping, laundry, and meals. These residents will prefer flexible dining options, independence, and ample choices.

In an assisted living environment, a typical resident requires support for at least two activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, or toilet hygiene. These residents will likely still prefer flexible dining options, independence, and ample choices, but may need some accommodations to address mobility issues and diet order restrictions.

A skilled nursing living center provides a host of support services and medical care for chronic conditions requiring long-term stays, as well as short-term convalescent or rehabilitative care. Due to the health needs and limited mobility of many residents, dining service often operates using a traditional tray line and room service options, but residents who require short-term rehabilitation only will likely desire more choices and mores sophisticated fare.