Benefits of Home-Cooked Meals in Assisted Living Settings

Good nutrition should be a lifelong goal and this should include assisted living meals.

Ensuring our seniors are adhering to a balanced diet can be challenging. Even in assisted living environments, which are equipped with wholesome and nutritious menus, mealtime can be tricky. Aging seniors frequently become “picky” eaters as a result of new routines, palate changes, medical conditions related to chewing and swallowing, and the ability to hold and use eating utensils.

For these reasons, serving home-cooked meals in assisted living settings are paramount. Here are just four benefits.

• Comfort is key. Flavor is important. So is presentation. Home-cooked meals in assisted living homes should be pleasing to the eye and taste buds. And aroma may be the most pivotal component of all. Assisted living home kitchens can use an abundance of herbs and spices to awaken dormant memories. The smell of food, perhaps more than any other scent, immediately recalls comforts from days long ago. For seniors with memory conditions, this can be incredibly impactful and beneficial, even if they do not immediately realize why.
• Routines are reassuring. Seniors in assisted living homes desire independence. By establishing a consistent routine at breakfast, lunch, and dinner time, assisted living homes provide a sense of familiarity, and allow their seniors to feel more in control, particularly those showing signs of memory loss or dementia. Routine is directly related to success and eliminates feelings of confusion and frustration. For seniors acclimating to their new surroundings, serving home-cooked meals in assisted living homes can go a long way to providing a more welcoming and reassuring transition.
• Ingredients are healthier: Home-cooked meals in assisted living homes are frequently fresher and more nutritious than anything served in a restaurant or institution. Meals prepared in a home kitchen allow caretakers complete control over ingredients, ensuring that the final dish contributes to healthier bodies and minds.
• Sharing is encouraged. A good home-cooked meal isn’t merely sustenance for the body, but when shared around a table – it’s food for the soul, as well. Home-cooked meals offer a chance for social interaction. Dining together is a great way for assisted living residents to get to know one another and build lasting relationships.

There’s nothing quite like a home-cooked meal. It’s one of the simplest and most enjoyable pleasures in life. And when it comes to serving seniors in assisted living homes, this familiarity is more important than ever. When you cook with love, it shows in the food. Meals not only taste better, but they help residents feel better, as well.

Kenwood Care prides itself on preparing and serving nutritious home-cooked meals on-site while complying with any food allergies or dietary restrictions your loved one may have. Fresh fruits and vegetables, quality cuts of meat, and homemade baked goods are always part of our daily menu, which covers three meals per day and two snacks. Call 410-406-7455 to learn more or to schedule a visit.