Communication is the key to serving delicious food, says NCM
Monday October 15, 2007 -- Deron Hamel
Residents’ councils at OMNI long-term care homes play a big part in determining what does and does not appear on menus, and Willows Estate is no exception.

In fact, the nutritional care department at Willows Estate communicates once per month with residents’ council to ensure that everyone at the Aurora long-term care home is getting food they enjoy at mealtimes, says nutritional care manager (NCM) Gary Rose.

Rose adds the result of this brand of open dialogue speaks for itself.

“The largest success is that at Willows, the residents are happy with the meals,” he says. “That’s a big success. At one time there were problems with the meals, but now everything is just wonderful.”

Each residents’ council meeting begins with a food committee segment where residents get to voice concerns, as well as give praise, about food served at the home.

If the majority of residents are unsatisfied with a particular food item, they pass this information on to Rose.

“There might be a few things on the menu that nobody likes, so then my obligation to them is to try and have it changed to something that they would like,” he says.

Rose notes a lot of “positive” information comes out of residents’ council meetings, which, in turn, helps him do his job better. For example, he has learned is that most residents don’t like spicy foods, so these foods have been removed from the menu.

This communication also let’s Rose know about foods residents would like to see on the menu more often.

“It could be something as simple as they like eggs at breakfast every day,” says Rose.

Ida May Lloyd, who sits on residents’ council, says this type of democratic principle has positive ramifications for everyone at the home.

“The food here is very, very good and nourishing, and they make sure that everyone is looked after properly,” says Lloyd, who has lived at the home for three years.

Lloyd also encourages as many residents as she can to attend the meetings.

“That’s what the meetings are all about — they can come and voice their opinion and this is really good,” she says. “We’d like to hear input from everyone.”

The meetings between residents’ council and the nutritional care department include planning for special dinners, including Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving.

Sunday roasts, a regular feature at the home each week, are an example of the typical meat-and-potatoes fare which goes over well with residents, says Rose.

“They’re not into casseroles and fancy-named stuff; they like the basic meals,” he says.

The nutritional care department also has a taste-test panel twice per year to give residents a chance to sample foods before they’re added to the menu. This, says Rose, has been “a big success.”