Illustration of dining room remodel for the open dining concept
The Mayflower Community (Grinnell, Iowa) is in the process of a $500,000 remodeling project to convert kitchens into fully-functioning preparation and serving facilities for the Health Center and for the independent living Buckley Dining Room. The Beebe Assisted Living kitchen will be converted at a later date. Currently, all hot and cold meals are prepared in the Buckley building kitchen and transported to the other campus serving kitchens.
Residents will enjoy made-to-order food, when they desire, chosen from a diverse, restaurant-style menu. When complete, the two kitchens will be capable of serving an ala carte menu from 7:00am to 7:00pm, seven days a week. For example, breakfast will be available all day. A “Grab n’ Go” cooler will be located in the Health Center to make available scratch-prepared salads, sandwiches, and fruits to meet residents’ needs after hours.
In Mayflower’s Health Center, this improvement will inspire a culture shift. Choosing when to dine opens a door for residents to more fully direct their daily routine, including the timing of visitors, therapies, recreation, grooming, and bathing. For example, visits with family members or friends will be enriched when they can share a meal at a time convenient for all.
The Health Center renovations are expected to be completed by mid- to late-March. The Buckley Dining Room renovations will be finished by late April.
— Bob Mann, Sales & Marketing Director
