SENIOR DINING
A recent study by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Poli- cy and Innovation, of six years of data from the National Poll on Healthy Ag- ing, found that as of late 2024 loneliness and isolation among older Americans had mostly returned to pre-pandemic rates, but more than one third of people age 50 to 80 still feel lonely. And those dealing with major physical health or mental health issues continue to have much higher rates of loneliness and so- cial isolation than others. Metz saw sim- ilar trends in its operations. “We had some internal data from Warren Campus, which had run this program prior and had seen some suc- cess,” Furlan says. “COVID halted all of our visitors to the hospital, but once the visiting restrictions were lifted, we started again on a small scale and the program grew and grew.” Furlan reports that the popularity of the program has exceeded expectations. Nine St. Luke’s locations now host sen- ior meals, serving up to 250 meals a day in some cafeterias. “And that’s in the late afternoon, which used to be a very slow period,” Furlan notes. The meal period is from 4 to 6 p.m., but guests usually start arriving earlier; Furlan says they see two to three dozen guests around 3:30, sitting at the tables with their trays, silverware and napkins laid out, drinking a cup of coffee and vis- iting until serving starts. Seniors who partake of the program tend to prefer American comfort food, Furlan says. Favorite meals include meatloaf with mashed potatoes, pasta with meatballs and chicken Parmesan. More recently, the program has in- corporated health education, from once a week to once a month, in the form of an informal presentation by a St. Luke’s doctor on an age-appropriate health matter, such as heart or joint health. “The guests and family members love the program,” Furlan says. “We have a large percentage of repeat customers. They call ahead to ask about menus, so they can plan their week’s dinners based on what we are offering.”
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QUARTERLY | Q4
PHOTO COURTESY OF METZ CULINARY MANAGEMENT
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