Influential factors toward the quality of dining services at continuing care retirement communities: Manager's perspective

Abstract

A growing number of older adults are moving into continuing care retirement communities (CCRC) to meet their aging needs, and dining services attract critical consideration when older adults decide on CCRC. However, scarce research investigates the dining aspects of CCRC operations, and little is known about the foodservice managers' perspective on dining services. Therefore, this study explores the factors that influence the quality of dining services by interviewing foodservice managers at CCRC in the U.S. (n = 15). Nine major subcategories under generic foodservice-related, aging-related, and organization-related aspects of dining services emerged and guided the subsequent thematic analysis. Moreover, the foodservice managers' shared vision of instilling more hospitality to older adults into the future CCRC dining services was identified and discussed. This study contributes to the CCRC literature by adding foodservice manager's perspectives and providing pragmatic strategies for CCRC operators and managers to strengthen the quality of dining services for existing and prospective residents.