Qualitative Investigation of Assisted Living Residents′ Foodservice Experience

The purpose of the study was to investigate assisted living residents' perception of foodservice experience using a qualitative approach. A total of 14 residents who lived in assisted living units of a continuing care retirement community participated in interview sessions. The interviews were semi-structured with open-ended questions. The interviews were transcribed and coded to identify themes from the responses. The residents perceived the availability of choices, variety of foods, and service positively, but expressed concerns about food preparation, food quality, and repetitive menus. They were particularly concerned with tough and dry meats. The foodservice department should consider the older residents' ability to chew and their changing taste buds when determining quality of food purchased and preparation methods. The residents considered the service pleasing and described it as satisfactory. They stated that the service staff was friendly but needed more training in proper service techniques. Communication between the foodservice department and the residents was an area to be improved. The foodservice department should increase the residents' involvement in the menu planning and evaluation of the foodservice on a routine basis. Foodservice managers and dietitians working for the older adults can utilize the findings of the study to identify strategies to improve foodservice at their facilities.