When families seek a senior living community for their loved one, the quality of the dining experience is often one of the most important factors considered in the final decision. That’s good, because studies show that up to 60% of a resident’s day revolves around meal times.

Residents are more likely to desire flexibility, both in menu options and in their choice of dining venues. This means that providers need to ensure that the dining experiences they offer are truly extraordinary, as well as nutritious. Senior living communities have answered this call by introducing a host of different dining options:

Cafés and Bistros

Gone are the days of the one-size-fits-all senior living dining room. Now, many communities offer their residents dining venues that serve on demand, like grab-and-go cafés, bistros and coffee shops.

Pubs and Wine Bars

Senior living residents are adults—and they’ve lived full lives. It’s much more common nowadays for senior living providers to recognize and celebrate that by building full-service pubs and wine bars in their communities.

Farm-to-Table Fare

Some senior living communities have embraced the idea of growing and eating local fare. Community residents now eat a wide variety of produce that is grown locally and picked out by the community’s chef.

Eating Is a Family and Friend Affair.

Dining together promotes healthy eating for seniors, especially for those living alone. This is because we naturally eat more around others and make better food choices. Often, seniors feel that cooking a big, healthy meal for one is too difficult and pointless, so they turn to pre-packaged or frozen foods—or worse, they skip meals altogether.

Senior living communities recognize the importance of eating together, and many offer restaurant-style dining with a variety of well-balanced, healthy meals prepared by professional chefs. Residents who eat together have the opportunity to talk about the events of the day, recalling memories of eating with their families. New friendships often form and relationships grow while sitting around the table together.

Most importantly, the best senior living communities offer venues where residents and their family members WANT to come and enjoy the experience. After all, food always tastes better when it’s with family.