Press Releases

Survey results explore the current state of staffing in senior living dining, and the tactics organizations are using to deliver on safety, efficiency and resident experience, during a time of limited resources.

With the spotlight on staffing shortages in 2021, our survey reframes that conversation around senior living dining to understand what operators are doing to deliver a safe, enjoyable dining experience that keeps residents and staff happy.

CHICAGO (PRWEB) OCTOBER 22, 2021

Senior Housing News (SHN), an Aging Media publication, is pleased to release the results of its recent survey: Senior Living Dining Post-COVID. The survey, conducted in collaboration with global quality of life services leader Sodexo Seniors, sought to learn more about the senior living industry’s current staffing landscape for dining services, with respect to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results detail the current state of staffing in senior living dining and the tactics organizations are using to overcome the limitations posed by COVID-19. More than 100 senior living professionals representing a broad spectrum of roles, organization sizes and care types participated, offering a depth and breadth of perspective around senior living dining staffing today.
In summary, respondents indicated:

Training emphasis. Senior living organizations are overcoming the fallout of today’s hiring challenges by increasing staff training.

Technology investment. The pandemic brought technology investments to the forefront for senior living organizations.
Hiring challenges. Hiring dining staff has been, and will continue to be a pain point for senior living organizations into 2022.

The survey results further examine how companies are utilizing training to overcome hiring fallout; investing in technology to improve dining safety, experience and staff performance; and preparing to attract talent in an increasingly competitive hiring landscape.

“Senior living communities across the country are experiencing staff shortages, which is a challenge that has been magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Thandi Baxter-Magro, VP Marketing, Sodexo Seniors North America. “The survey results show that communities need sound strategies and partnerships to retain staff. Sodexo Seniors nurtures deeply caring staff, while employing a blend of team culture, training and growth opportunities to support staff retention for hundreds of senior living communities.”

“Dining is an integral part of senior living, whether in terms of providing community and social interaction or basic human needs,” said Senior Housing News Editor Tim Mullaney. “With the spotlight on staffing shortages in 2021, our survey reframes that conversation around senior living dining to understand what operators are doing to deliver a safe, enjoyable dining experience that keeps residents and staff happy.”

The survey was conducted online between Aug. 5 and Aug. 30, 2021. Access the full survey results here.
About Aging Media Network and Senior Housing News
Aging Media Network is an innovative publishing company based in Chicago, Illinois, and is the publisher of Senior Housing News, Home Health Care News, Skilled Nursing News, Hospice News, and Behavioral Health Business. Senior Housing News (SHN) is the leading source for news and information covering the senior housing industry.