When choosing an assisted living community, it’s important to find one that makes you feel comfortable in your surroundings. It’s not enough for the community to offer a full calendar of activities. You need to double-check that it includes activities you enjoy.
But maybe most importantly of all, you need to make sure that when you ask “What’s for dinner?” you’re going to like the answer. That’s why when it comes to dining options, Arbor Terrace of Johns Creek wants to make sure to provide something for everyone.
Seniors’ Changing Tastes
In addition to hearing loss and vision, your senses of smell and taste also deteriorate as you get older.
According to the National Institute on Aging, loss of taste buds, as well as some of the medications seniors take, can make food taste bland. Other medications may even lead to dry mouth and trouble swallowing. All of these factors can lessen a senior’s desire to eat a nutritious meal. As can a reduced sense of smell, because if you can’t smell the food, it won’t taste the same.
Restaurant-Style Dining
Assisted living communities like Arbor Terrace of Johns Creek take pride in providing a meaningful dining experience for residents. The dining room is set up like that of a luxurious restaurant. Tables are small to promote more intimate conversations between friends. And residents order from menus offering several different choices at every meal.
Making Meals Delicious
The chef develops menus with seniors’ tastes and taste buds in mind. Old favorites like meatloaf and macaroni and cheese might be offered alongside less traditional choices like a Mediterranean salad, or an Asian vegetable stir-fry.
Because residents may not taste things the way they used to, our chefs make sure to use plenty of herbs and spices to enhance the flavors of the food without relying on extra salt or sugar.
For lunch and dinner, there are typically three courses: a soup or salad, an entree, and a choice of dessert. And if you don’t like what’s on the menu today, there’s usually a standard sandwich or hamburger option that residents can order.
The kitchen staff is open to residents’ input, making sure that the meals offered include their favorite foods.
Making Meals Nutritious
Along with making sure the meals are delicious, the chef develops recipes designed with the residents’ health in mind.
- They make a point to serve plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Meals are designed to be high in nutrients such as calcium and fiber.
- Sodium levels are kept low for seniors with high blood pressure.
- Low-fat options are offered for residents who may need to lose weight.
- Diabetics have plenty of low-sugar and sugar-free choices.
- Vegetarian meals are available for residents who don’t eat meat.
Whatever a resident’s nutritional needs are, the community’s chef will come up with a customized dining plan to meet it.
Dining with Dignity
To help residents who may struggle at mealtimes due to physical limitations, The Arbor Company developed Dining with DignityⓇ to allow them to join in on meals without embarrassment.
Special menus offer bite-sized or finger-food versions of regular meals to make it easier for residents who may have trouble chewing and swallowing their foods. This is also helpful for residents who can no longer hold a fork or a spoon.
No matter what your tastes are, you will find a dining option you enjoy at Arbor Terrace of Johns Creek. Call 770-999-9577 to arrange to tour the community, and be sure to let them know you’d like to stay for lunch.
