When looking for a senior living community that fits your lifestyle and preferences, it’s common to wonder about the care provided, the apartment sizes, and the additional amenities. However, it’s also essential to consider the food and dining options available. There are many misconceptions that senior living communities offer bland, standardized meals in a cafeteria-style setting, but this couldn’t be further from the truth!
Today’s senior living communities understand the importance of healthy and exciting dining options for older adults, and Origin is leading that charge. Not only do we provide fresh, chef-prepared meals in a restaurant-style setting, but we also incorporate local ingredients from farmer’s markets, hire award-winning chefs, and put genuine thought and vision into each meal. Simply put, we prioritize dining from every possible angle.
Our independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities in Calgary and Nanaimo offer everything our community members need for an engaging and fulfilling retirement—from supported care and an active lifestyle to exceptional food. So we’re taking a closer look at our unique approach to dining and how we provide only the best for our members.
Importance of Nutrition for Seniors
It’s no surprise that nutritional needs change with age. Because of these changes in the body and metabolism, older adults don’t require as many calories as they once did, but they still need the same amount of nutrients.
As a result, an older adult’s diet needs to consist of nutrient-dense foods like lean proteins, low-fat dairy, and whole grains. It’s also important to pair these foods with lots of liquids and an active lifestyle.
Enhanced Dining at Origin
To focus on the unique nutritional needs of older adults, Origin crafts our dining menus with intention and creativity, creating meals that fulfill our community members’ dietary needs and exceed their expectations with taste and flavour. We go the extra mile to make soups and meals from scratch daily, putting the extra effort to deliver excellence that truly defines The Origin Way™.
Our chefs are genuinely passionate about the work they do and who they do it for. To us, dining is more about food; it’s an experience that can make someone’s entire day.
A Vibrant Atmosphere
Even though the dining experience and atmosphere vary at each of our communities, you’ll always find a vibrant, inviting environment. From professional chefs in the kitchen to fine-dining settings in the dining room, every detail is carefully considered to enhance the overall culinary experience for community members and guests.
Meeting Unique Needs
As many of our community members may be experiencing loss of eyesight, hearing, or even smell and taste, we’ve created a unique approach that allows diners to feel dignified and recognized while eating. We’ve designed both our plates and our plating process to serve various food groups on a specific part of the plate, every meal of every day. It’s a small, simple gesture, but it demonstrates to our community members that we value their ability to eat confidently and independently.
Origin Chef Summit
Each year, the Executive Chef’s team from Origin gathers to celebrate the beauty of food. They use this time to test new flavours and tastes, create new recipes, shop for fresh produce, and even engage in friendly competition with colleagues! We love this annual opportunity for the culinary teams from each community to connect and further our vision of creating and serving the best possible meals.
Quality, Fresh Ingredients
Origin Active Lifestyle Communities believe an exceptional dish starts from the ground up. We streamline the path to preparing and serving quality, nutrient-dense food by acquiring locally-grown, fresh, organic ingredients to use in our meals.
Bon Appetit!
At Origin, we are dedicated to providing our community members with the lifestyle they deserve. This includes a focus on wellness, daily opportunities for engagement, world-class hospitality, and a dining experience that exceeds all expectations. Our daily meals promote health and wellness in an environment that prioritizes and values our community members.
To discover more about Origin Active Lifestyle Communities are our approach to dining and food, we invite you to schedule a visit and dine with us!
