As you read about and visit senior living communities in Athens, Georgia you will discover that many promote the amenity of fine dining.  Fine dining suggests the community will offer its residents the experience of the upscale restaurant-style meal experience.

Independent living communities usually offer the choice option to pay for 1, 2, or 3 dining room meals daily while assisted living or memory care communities include all meals in their rental fees.  There is an assumption that people living with health conditions benefiting from the support of assisted services will also benefit from the provision of meal preparation and nutritional support.

When touring luxury senior living communities you can expect to find kitchenettes in most apartments.  Independent living apartments will have small sized full kitchens as some meals are expected to be prepared by the resident.

Assisted living apartments no longer include stoves, but are typically equipped with varying sized refrigerators, sinks, and microwaves. Most memory care apartment kitchenettes are now designed to include only a small area for storing personal snacks and it is more common to find sinks or refrigerators in communities that were built before 2015.

Orchard at Athens is a brand new assisted living and memory care community with a state of the art environmental design featuring high ceiling light-filled dining rooms, a private dining room, sweet shop, cafe and lounge, and apartment kitchenette options including granite countertops, spacious cabinets for storage, refrigerators, and microwaves.

Luxury senior living communities know that people like choice and not everyone has the time or interest in a formal dining experience for every meal.   In most independent living communities you will find additional opportunities for purchasing food on the go. These might include a bistro-style menu of soups, sandwiches or salad, or a  cafe with specialty coffees, muffins or pastries. And in some, you may even find a bar or lounge open for residents in the afternoon or evenings serving appetizers and beer, wine or cocktails.

Assisted Living Dining Options

Here are some things to consider about dining in assisted living:

• Is there a variety of meal options?
• Do menus change often and accommodate for resident preferences or special dietary needs?
• Are mealtimes on a set schedule or flexible?
• Are residents assisted with reminders or escorts to dining areas?
• Is there a policy or procedure in place to ensure residents or to meals or eat what’s provided for them?
• Are there enjoyment opportunities offered for resident cooking or baking?
• Can residents eat in their rooms when they desire and is there a charge for a meal delivery?
• Is there a nutritionist accessible for guidance about weight loss, weight gain, or poor appetites?

Dining With Dementia

Dementia is not just a memory problem and change in diet can be expected in time.  Changing abilities in object recognition or fine motor skills will often affect a person’s ability to use utensils, swallow food, or have a desire to eat.  As this can dramatically effect nutrition and quality of life it’s important to inquire about the following:

• Is there a variety of menu options to encourage an interest in eating?
• Are the meals offered on a set schedule?
• Is there ritual or routine in place to help cue the brain and body it’s time to eat?
• Are residents assisted with finding their place to eat?
• Are meals observed? Is there a documentation system in place to ensure residents eating or drinking activity?
• Are families consulted about dietary preferences or restrictions?
• Is hydration a priority?
• Is there communication with families should changes in the diet be observed?
• Are speech therapists available to assess change in swallowing ability effecting eating or drinking?
• Does the community provide adaptive utensils, cups, or dining ware?
• How is food served? Is it timely or do residents wait for long periods of time to eat?
• Is the staff skilled in hands-on support that encourages someone living with dementia to be as independent and successful as possible in eating or drinking?

Diet Modifications

Speech Therapist and swallow studies can determine when a modified diet is needed due to changes in physical or cognitive ability, which may include:

• Adaptive utensils
• Finger foods
• Chopped or pureed options

Two wonderful dining adaptation programs specific to dementia support include Grind Dining(c) and Dining with Friends.

Orchard at Athens is a luxury assisted living community located off Atlanta Hwy in Athens, GA. Orchard at Athens is an intentional community dedicated to providing physical and emotional support for people living with dementia at all states or stages of their disease progression.

Proud to offer the Grind Dining program for residents, you can be assured that Orchard will provide an optimal nutritional experience for your loved one. Please contact us to learn more about this program and other dietary questions you may have.

Finding an assisted living can be a daunting task. Especially, when smaller cities like Athens, Georgia may have fewer senior living options.

And consider trying to make a decision when you live in a more rural area like Athens suburbs of Watkinsville, Bogart, Jefferson, Statham, Winterville, Commerce, Arcade or Hull? What considerations will need to be made when researching distance and the value of driving a little further to find quality services that will truly benefit a senior in need of more support.

Some beginning questions one might ask are:

• How do I start?
• What companies and resources are reliable?
• What exactly should I be looking for?
• What is provided for me and for my family?

Care Plans

When someone lives in an assisted living community, there should be a personalized care plan created based on doctor’s recommendations, unique needs, abilities, personal preferences, and health history.

It is extremely important for families to be involved in the creation of the care plan and have a signed copy of it.  The agreed-to plan will be charged to the resident either by an “all-inclusive” higher assisted living rental fee or will be charged as a separate “care fee” paid in addition to the apartment rent; which typically, does include some basic services. The care plan is an outline of sorts specifying “how” a community will provide personalized assisted support.

If you are currently living in an assisted living community you should have a copy and know what’s included in your care plan.  It is recommended that a communities care director review resident care plans on an annual, bi-annual or quarterly basis to ensure residents’ needs and are up to date and families are not being over or undercharged.

Some things to consider:

• Is the resident or family encouraged to participate in care planning?
• Are there regularly scheduled care plan meetings and are families informed of this schedule?
• Is family contacted about changes observed by staff about the resident condition?
• Are families encouraged to communicate with staff?

Family Support

Some assisted living communities recognize that the resident may not be the only person who needs support.  These insightful communities will make an effort to provide education or consultation services for family members.  This may include support groups, educational workshops, or online offerings inviting families to participate and learn more. Some things to consider when visiting our touring a community:

• Is there an interest in family members?
• Are regularly scheduled care partner support groups offered?
• Does the community provide educational opportunities?
• Is the family invited and/or encouraged to volunteer or participate in a community activity or sponsored public events like an Alzheimer’s Association fundraiser, for example?

State Regulations

Georgia assisted living and memory care communities are regulated by the state and have specific standards, policies, and procedures that must be adhered to.  State regulations require the minimum standard, and it’s important to confirm that your community of choice has created its own policies and procedures that go well above and beyond the required minimum. Orchard Senior Living, and its property Orchard at Athens, exceeds the minimum Georgia standards of care.

Some questions to consider when choosing an assisted living facility are:

• What type of medical care is provided?
• Can the resident age-in-place?
• Is there 24-hour on-site supervision by an RN or LPN?
• What are the staff to resident ratios and how far above the minimum state requirement are they?
• Is personal care approached with respect and dignity?
• Are the unique personality and abilities considered?

Staff Continuing Education

Orchard at Athens is able to offer “Spectrum of Care” support services including 2 memory care options. It might be noted that the state of Georgia requires only 8 hours of training in dementia care.

For anyone who has cared for someone living with dementia, you are aware this is not nearly enough.  Orchard Senior Living considers the training of its team members an imperative priority and is proud to provide ongoing monthly mandatory training for staff by a nationally recognized dementia specialist. Here are some questions to consider with regards to training/education:

• Does the community see staff training as a priority?
• Is staff training provided for every new hire?
• What are the continuing education policies and procedures?
• Is the staff trained specifically in dementia care?
• What are the certifications and/or requirements for newly hired staff members?

Resident Staff Relationship

When making a decision about assisted living, resident staff relationships should be your top priority. Look for signs that a community has staff members actively interested and engaged in a relationship with its residents?

Notice the interactions and familiarity of staff and residents with one another. Typically, it will be obvious and easy to see if existing positive relationships exist. Here are some things to consider:

• Do you observe connectivity and emotional support in addition to the necessary physical care support?
• Senior living has a very high staff turnover.  Ask about leadership and front line staff longevity and retention?
• Do you notice a relaxed or tense environment? Are residents comfortable, relaxed and involved?  Or distant, quite and not participatory?
• Is there a planned flow of the day and does it take into consideration individual likes and abilities?
• Are residents routinely greeted and engaged by staff?

Finding the right living arrangement for your loved one is easier if you know the right questions to ask.  To start the process, have a conversation with your loved one. Make a list of the things that are most important to you and your family members and compare them to the questions and suggestions in this article.

If you have any questions about what to expect from Orchard at Athens, please call now, or email the executive director or community coordinator.  We want to hear from you, would love to get your ideas and feedback, and look forward to confirming if Orchard at Athens can be part of your solution.