The lure of aging in place includes the flexibility to eat when and what you want. Active aging and senior living communities need to adapt to this mindset while also delivering high-quality, flavorful foods.” “ - Joe Cuticelli
17% are very confident that senior living communities could deliver the dining variety they expect. Respondents said if they were considering a move to a senior living community, 65% would prioritize flexibility when it comes to meals: They would like the choice each day to either prepare their own meals, dine out or order takeout over access to multiple dining venues. “The lure of aging in place includes the flexibility to eat when and what you want. Active aging and senior living communities need to adapt to this mindset while also delivering high- quality, flavorful foods,” Joe Cuticelli
said in a statement. “It’s a tall order, but we’ve seen a similar evolution in other sectors, such as campus and airport dining.” He noted that while the world of senior living has made transformational strides in areas like intergenerational living and active aging community designs, the culinary approach has not matched those strides in his opinion. Stereotypes of meat-and-potatoes- loving senior citizens are changing, and the survey found that 32% characterized themselves as “food explorers” who are looking for adventure in new tastes and flavors. Also, they are looking for flavorful, well-seasoned dishes that use
fresh, minimally processed ingredients, as well as low-sugar, low-sodium and high-protein foods. Cuticelli sees this skepticism in boomers as an opportunity for Restaura to thrive as a company. “Our research shows that, aside from necessities like affordability, safety, and accommodations, food quality drives the decision in choosing a senior living community,” he said. “Yet when our survey asked, ‘what words do you associate with senior living,’ restaurant-quality food was at the bottom of the list—selected by just 11% of respondents. That’s the definition of an opportunity.”
Q4 2024
FSD QUARTERLY 33
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