When it comes to marketing strategies, some senior living operators are leading with the stomach. For operators such as Health Dimensions Group, Aspenwood and LCS, promoting the food that residents eat while living at their communities is a good way to show the quality of life they offer. As such, senior living companies incorporate dining […]
Millions of people in the U.S. are taking injectable GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, and now there is even a CMS subsidy for certain GLP-1 medications. But the drug hasn’t had much of an impact on senior living operations or residents thus far. Operators like Harbor Retirement Associates (HRA) are seeing more older adults enter communities using GLP-1 […]
Increasing dietary flexibility. More variety. New tastes. These are among the top trends for senior living culinary staff in 2026. Benchmark Senior Living staff have responded to a dramatic uptick in the number of requests for dietary information in order to keep up with the increased level of care and medicine residents have, according to […]
The baby boomers desire toothsome, fresh food. Senior living chefs and dining teams have to constantly innovate to serve them, and it’s not an easy feat from a budgeting perspective. Many operators, including Pacific Retirement Services and The Springs Living, don’t have a dedicated line item to experimentation or innovation, and instead seek flexibility in […]
This story is part of your SHN+ subscription For years, owners and operators of active adult communities have debated whether any meal services belong in the property type. Now, one senior living company is forging ahead with a new plan to add dedicated dining services to active adult. The operator is Brentwood, Tennessee-based Vitality Living, […]
The Kendal Corporation is supporting its network of affiliated communities in overhauling dining options to keep pace with the demands of baby boomer residents. The Newark, Delaware-based operator’s transformation includes renovating existing dining spaces and adding in a new point-of-sale system to modernize its dining operations and upgrade dining to a more restaurant-quality experience, according […]
Civitas Senior Living has overhauled its dining program and shuffled culinary roles earlier this year to prepare for the senior living customer of tomorrow. The Fort Worth, Texas-based senior living operator intentionally rebuilt its dining program from the ground-up with a focus on better resident experiences.The dining refresh included training staff to bring more hospitality-forward […]
Senior living residents of tomorrow aren’t only interested in upscale dining, they also want high-quality libations. How operators sling those drinks is shifting with the new generation. For years, a typical senior living bar program might have revolved around alcoholic cocktails, wine and beer. And today, those drinks are still popular picks among residents perusing […]
Senior living providers are reframing their dining programs through hospitality, but these changes start with staff support behind the scene. As operators weigh which changes to make to improve working conditions for staff, they are taking cues from other industries by creating Costco-style break rooms, retooling employee meals and building new training programs. Atlanta-based Thrive […]
Last year, Taco Bell launched an “early retirement experience.” The senior living industry can learn a thing or two from the national fast-food chain. Taco Bell’s event – “a senior-inspired, sun-soaked” daytime getaway full of “retail and dining” – was certainly outside of its typical wheelhouse. By that token, the senior living industry has a […]
