As reported by AARP, despite the abundance of nursing homes and designated senior communities in place around the country, more than 87% of seniors over the age of 65 prefer to stay in the homes they raised their families in, and where they have lived the majority of their lives. However, more than five million elderly Americans who live at home face hunger every day, because of their disabilities, lack of income, or limited transportation. Thankfully, according to the director of education and communications at the Association for Healthcare Foodservice, Kent Hamaker, “as hospitals expand their role from acute care to community care, many are tapping their self-operated hospital foodservice departments to bring food and comfort to seniors in their communities to ensure they remain healthy, connected, and independent.” In fact, a recent study issued in Health Affairs, even concluded that disabled and low-income seniors, who received these types of healthy meal deliveries, regularly benefited from fewer hospital visits and an overall decrease in medically-related expenses compared to those who didn’t.
Satisfaction + Health
Time and time again research has shown that satisfaction and health are closely related, and that one can greatly impact the other. By allowing seniors to “age-in-place,” as well as maintain the opportunity to have that additional assistance with things like preparing well-balanced meals, they are able to enjoy a much more fulfilling and independent life without feeling helpless or abandoned, which then leads to greater health and wellness. As various healthcare institutions, like Hendricks Regional Health and Legacy Retirement Communities, continue to collectively offer hundreds of meals a day to senior citizens throughout their respective communities, more and more hospitals throughout the country are joining the cause and focusing on devising better ways to make a difference in their local areas. For many, it’s more than just about preparing meals for seniors who need them, it’s about taking care of another person, and ensuring that they are getting all the nutrition they need to live the best and healthiest life possible, even if they have a hard time getting around.
If you want to branch out and start servicing the seniors, and other in-need persons in your own community, organization is necessary in ensuring that your hospital’s foodservice department operates efficiently. At Vision Software, our unique and innovative software applications are designed to maximize your facility’s potential, and effectively protect your patients from food-related incidents. Let our experts at Vision Software help you make independence a tangible reality for those in your community who crave and deserve it most. Call 629.777.8989, or fill in the free consultation form in the sidebar, to learn more about how our software can positively impact the lives of the patients and visitors you service every day.