NEW DESIGNS FOR DINING PROGRAMS EXPAND OPTIONS AND CHOICES
“The pandemic is helping us get rid of
what I used to call the 4:30 lineup for din- ner, because we’re just not willing to seat that many people in a space any longer,” says Phillip Dopson, senior vice president, consumer experience, design, and retail at Compass Community Living. Having several smaller dining venues can
offer both additional safety and be more appealing to residents.
RESIDENT AND PROSPECT FEEDBACK Dopson leads the Hub Design Services team that oversaw the renovation of three dining venues at Hoosier Village Retire- ment Center in Indianapolis. The community has four venues in its
community of 600+ residents. The campus was originally built with multiple dining spaces, but residents didn’t use them as much as expected. Analysis of the spaces and feedback from residents and prospects showed that the locations of the venues were fine, but they needed to be updated in terms of functionality, ambience, and identity. The three renovated venues opened on a
staggered schedule in 2021: Heartwood, the community’s full-service
restaurant, remained in use during that time and will now be renovated. The original bistro had walk-up order-
ing and didn’t inspire residents to linger. Now called The Dash!, the space has been
Hoosier Village offers two daytime dining options for fast-casual meals and cafe dining. Photo from Morrison Living.
reformulated as a fast-casual bistro open for breakfast and lunch. Servers take orders and bring the food,
and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. The space also contains a 24-hour self-serve retail market with packaged sandwiches, sal- ads, snacks, beverages, and Starbucks coffee. Zenergy is a small retail café created to
fill a need for quick daytime food options in the campus Community Center. When Zenergy closes at 4 p.m., the new
bar opens. The bar, called The Social, has a vapor fireplace and outdoor patio with a pergola. It serves alcoholic and non- alcoholic beverages as well as small plates. It is a popular gathering spot for residents
KEY CONCEPTS FOR SUCCESSFUL DINING TRANSFORMATIONS Creativity
Be open to trying new things, from new foods to different meal schedules. Give chefs and culinarians the freedom and resources to express their creativity within the guidelines of providing healthy meals for older adults. That freedom can enable them to put passion into creating memorable meals for residents.
Flexibility Keep an open mind about the location, design, and function of dining spaces. Be ready to adapt if residents’
needs or wants have changed. When engagement in a space goes down and stays down, it’s time to consider a change.
Foresight Look ahead to consider the preferences of the incoming generation of residents. Create dining spaces that will still have appeal in the future.
Collaboration
Foster a spirit of cooperation and teamwork with dining contractors. Keep communication flowing between community leadership, dining service providers and associates. Work together
to present a united front to residents and associates, especially during difficult times.
Guidance
Put a well-rounded team in place when planning renovations to dining spaces. It’s easy to get excited about a beautiful design, but will it work well on a day-to-day basis? Sometimes the best-looking designs can be a burden to operate. Make sure to have someone skilled in food service operations on the planning team.
20 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE MARCH/APRIL 2022
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