✨Dining

Thanks Enver,

I've been putting in suggestions to add some basic nutritional information to our menus. Resident volunteers could do it, just very basic information. For me the dining issues fall into different categories and health is the most important. We do manage to have relatively lower salt options, but the hidden fat is considerable and the cooks are resistant to change. One of the hallmarks of a poor chef is overuse of fat, the easiest method of food preparation.

1) Health is the most important by far, especially salt, sugar, and fat content. This can be gotten around by offering numerous "always available" healthy choices. Allergies would go here also as so many have gluten conditions.

2) Personal references are important also. Some are concerned about health and others aren't. Obviously we need a wide variety of choices to keep things interesting. We are good at variety here, we just add fat to everything.

3) Preparation is important as in not having too many fatty and fried choices on one day.

I use a program suggested by a dietitian of the free app, Nutritionix. It was developed and is run by dietitians, so the information is quite accurate overall.

Maura Conry, at Ashby Ponds, I've been trying to get complete, correct nutritional info since 2016. Our Resident Advisory Council (RAC) has yet to post my complaints on their Agenda — contrary to their own "Constitution and Bylaws."

Attached "Erickson Healthier Choice Guidelines for Menu Planning". Notice there's no limit on sugar, even though in 2021, "38.4 million people of all ages — or 11.6% of the U.S. population — had diabetes.

https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/data-research/index.html

I'd like to hear more about residents with proven expertise being able to use their knowledge more effectively in their CCRCs. Dining is one area, but there are many more places where residents could use their vast experience. This topic surfaces regularly in other areas also, such as social/community life, grounds, etc. We have retired dietitians, engineers, master gardeners, educators of all kinds, etc. who have deep knowledge to share.

This is a sensitive topic and there is significant staff resistance to it. Excuses run the gamut of why is will not work, most of them overlapping ageist tropes (ie. residents are not dependable, don't understand, might get in the way, break something, etc.).

One area in which experienced residents could be effective is in adding nutritional information to the menus. Many of our offerings are from vendors who have that information. Some basic data like calories per serving would be immensely helpful for those with dietary concerns, which is most of us. Of course in some areas, such as dining, layers of rules and regulations are mandated as to required training, etc. which complicate the use of non-employees.

Good topic to bring up, Leslie.

Do any CCRCs allow (encourage) IL residents who have culinary experience to volunteer/assist with dining tasks?