QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Community Leaders Offer Solutions to Rising Food and Utilities Costs
By Sharon Cohen S
enior living leaders are constantly looking for ways to enhance the resident experience while optimizing
community efficiency. It’s no surprise that executive directors and other decision mak- ers are looking for smart solutions to address higher food costs and fluctuating utility prices.
Reduce food costs by buying seasonal and local Argentum surveyed senior living decision makers about food trends, with a majority saying that their average food costs in- creased over the past 12 months. To cope with higher prices, many of these decision makers looked to alternative sources such as shopping around for other suppliers (59 per- cent) or purchasing more items from local sources (29 percent). Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts that nine major wholesale food cost categories are expected to see price declines in 2019. Executive director Christopher Barstein at
Edgehill, a Benchmark Senior Living lifecare community in Stamford, Conn., has seen food costs rise 33 percent since 2012, but works
“We will always be on the lookout for any new technology that helps us manage our community better. If you’re not being proactive, the cost bite can be pretty significant,” said Barstein.
closely with the dining team and vendors to ensure operational efficiency. “To us, it’s easy to maintain quality and to also try to control costs,” he said. “Fresh, seasonal, and local whenever possible. When produce is fresh, abundant, and in season, the beauty is that it is at its lowest cost. It is those purchases of off-season or imported items or those that travel a long way that cause costs to spike.” The Edgehill plan includes going local and
regional for seasonal items. “Our strategy includes using fish mongers and produce vendors all within a close geographical area
50 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018
while beef programs are from a western packer that provides high quality meats at a lower cost,” according to Barstein. He noted that it’s important not to be “complacent” with cyclical menus just be- cause that’s what you’ve planned to serve. “Asparagus could be $12 a case one week and the next week $40. It’s important to know that communities work on a cyclical menu, but those menus are written on pa- per, not stone,” Barstein said. “You have to be adept and make changes in your menu to reflect changes in the market.”
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