At the same time, the dining services team was looking for opportunities to improve service and make changes to equipment that will further enhance the person-centered care philosophy, and further expanded the R.E.A.C.H. program to include an additional low-profile refrigeration case, allowing easy access to residents. This new case now includes the “Meals to Go” program that was previously available to residents at the Horsham Square Pharmacy. The new location of the “Meals to Go” makes it more convenient for residents to have greater access to all of the items offered in Banners Café. Additionally, a lower soup well has been installed into the counter of the salad bar, offering increased accessibility and safer service.
As a result of the expansion of the offerings in the “Meals to Go” program, and increased access, dining services went from issuing 35 meals per month at Horsham Square Pharmacy to 142 meals sold per month using the new lower profile refrigeration case in Banners Café. Residents and staff appreciate the convenience of having pre-packaged meals available, lessening the time spent in line.
To implement the program, the dining services staff quietly changed the configuration of the refrigeration items and watched to see the results. The impact of the change was immediately seen in the changes in café line routines, which were evidently simpler and safer.
Several steps were taken for the rollout of the new and improved “Meals to Go” program. First, a taste testing event was hosted for members of the Resident Dining Services Committee and the Resident Advisory Committee (RAC). The new program, with an emphasis on increased accessibility, convenience, and a variety of menu offerings, was promoted internally to residents through a dining services newsletter, information boards in each of the dining rooms, and through Channel 5.
Beyond the immediate increase in accessibility and convenience since the program’s inception in December 2005, dining services employees have also demonstrated an increased awareness of their surroundings. They are much more aware of the logistics of the café and how the layout and setup affects residents through the flow of service. Several employees have made suggestions that have been incorporated into the program, resulting in improvements and adjustments that enable the dining services team to focus on person-centered care and residents’ strengths. These successful Champions of Change initiatives will be incorporated in all of Ann’s Choice existing dining facilities and future venues.
As a model, the R.E.A.C.H. program is flexible and can be easily recreated and adapted for other café operations throughout all of the Erickson retirement communities. The R.E.A.C.H. program will continue to evolve and expand based on the philosophy of person-centered care at Ann’s Choice. Currently, the R.E.A.C.H. team is working to expand accessibility through a condiment counter and also by offering universal trays that fit on most walkers, enabling residents to walk while carrying their meals through the café line.
“What started out as a simple arranging of products in the café line to provide better access, has in turn evolved into a process of awareness and promotion of strength based initiatives at Ann’s Choice,” says Dining Services Director Chris Babst. “Our R.E.A.C.H. team is continuing to evaluate ways to not only improve the efficiency of our Banners Café operation, but also to focus on person-centered care and what we can do to enable our residents to accomplish tasks using their own strengths. This will help us to accomplish our mission of creating a community that celebrates life,” he adds. (Lauren Campione)
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