How Senior Care Communities Create Shared Dining Experiences That Enhance Family Engagement

Shared meals have a unique way of bringing people together, and that connection can be especially meaningful in senior care communities. Bringing family members into the senior care setting can strengthen relationships, reduce feelings of isolation, create bridges between generations, and improve overall resident quality of life.

Some senior living communities take shared dining far beyond the basics, creating welcoming experiences that encourage families to gather around the table. Several industry leaders shared the strategies that help them make family dining a memorable and meaningful part of community life.

Read on to discover how these communities design dining programs and spaces that help families connect, celebrate traditions, and spend more meaningful time together.

Embracing Hospitality Living

Phill Barklow, president of Experience Senior Living

Creating multiple restaurant-style venues with different concepts and cuisines helps Experience Senior Living foster an environment that feels more like a hospitality destination than a traditional senior care setting. Residents can choose from a variety of dining experiences, including a steakhouse, Mediterranean cuisine, sushi, organic offerings, and more.

The elevated, chef-driven approach also makes dining a draw for family members. “Because the dining experience is elevated and chef-driven, families genuinely want to come dine with their loved ones,” says Phill Barklow, president of Experience Senior Living.

“In many cases, adult children and even grandchildren end up joining residents regularly for meals because the restaurants rival some of the best dining experiences in town,” he adds. “We’ve seen these shared meals become meaningful touchpoints where multiple generations gather, spend quality time together, and create traditions around food and hospitality.”

Creating Large Spaces for Big Groups

Sabrine Marques, dining services director at The Providence

At The Providence, family-style dining plays an important role, encouraging residents and visitors to gather around larger tables, interact, and build relationships. The community regularly hosts themed dinners, holiday celebrations, and cultural food nights that invite families to participate and share traditions.

Sabrine Marques, dining services director at The Providence, says these events can help create a stronger sense of connection and inclusion for everyone involved.

The community’s flexible seating arrangements make it easier for families of all sizes to dine together comfortably. The seating includes round tables which naturally encourage conversation and eye contact, while accessible layouts allow residents who use walkers or wheelchairs to move easily through the space and fully participate in group meals.

For families celebrating special occasions or looking for a more intimate experience, private dining rooms provide a space to continue traditions and mark important milestones together.

Crystal Margerison, general manager of dining at Simpson’s Jenner’s Pond

Embracing Small-Scale Settings

While larger dining areas can accommodate big gatherings and special events, some communities find that smaller, more intimate spaces can create a stronger sense of comfort and familiarity. Crystal Margerison, general manager of dining at Simpson’s Jenner’s Pond, explains that during a recent renovation of the memory care and skilled nursing dining areas, the focus shifted toward a more person-centered design inspired by the feel of a home kitchen.

“We de-institutionalized everything to create an experience that reminds you of family dinners at the kitchen table,” she says. “In the physical space, we have smaller tables, and the eating area looks like a kitchen with cabinets, a countertop and a backsplash. If families are visiting their loved one at Jenner’s Pond, they can feel like they’re sitting in their dining room, with the living room next door, which has a television and comfy chairs.”

Drew Conant, executive chef at Simpson’s Jenner’s Pond

Personalized dining experiences further reinforce that sense of comfort. By regularly interacting with residents and learning about their favorite foods, dining staff can tailor meals to individual preferences and offer familiar favorites when residents may need extra encouragement during an “off” day.

“One resident loves peanut butter and jelly and sour cream potato chips, and we can leverage that experience and knowledge,” says Drew Conant, executive chef at Simpson’s Jenner’s Pond.

Designing Dining for Families

Helping residents feel at home is a priority at United Hebrew Senior Living. Because many residents move into assisted living after reaching a point where they can no longer return home independently, staff work to ensure family members view the community as an extension of home rather than a separate destination.

Grace Ferri, chief marketing officer, Willow Towers at United Hebrew Senior Living

That philosophy shapes how families are welcomed into the dining experience. “Just as you would visit your mom or dad at their house and share a meal, that same experience should carry over into assisted living,” says Grace Ferri, chief marketing officer, Willow Towers at United Hebrew Senior Living.

Staff actively encourage residents and their loved ones to dine together, particularly on weekends when family members arrive early and may spend time waiting for residents to finish lunch before heading out together.

Creating an inviting dining experience includes removing barriers that might discourage family participation. “We don’t charge family members when they come in for a meal,” says Norm Fintz, executive chef, Willow Towers at United Hebrew Senior Living. “We welcome them to sit with us and taste the food. It really strengthens our relationship with families, and it gives them a clear picture of what our dining room is all about.”

The diversity of the dining staff also helps accommodate a wide range of tastes and preferences, making it easier to serve both residents and visiting family members. “If a resident has more traditional preferences, we have that covered,” Ferri explains. “But if grandchildren are visiting, we have options for them too.”

Norm Fintz, executive chef, Willow Towers at United Hebrew Senior Living

Fintz works to offer a wide variety of items on the menu. Familiar favorites such as tacos, French fries, and grilled cheese can help ensure younger family members enjoy the experience as much as residents do.

The community recently renovated its dining room to create a more welcoming atmosphere. Fintz positioned a dessert buffet near the entrance to help create an immediate sense of excitement and hospitality for guests as they arrive.

“I love putting on different themed events, so when families walk in, they might see we’re celebrating National Donut Day or Grilled Cheese Day,” he explains. The team decorates the entrance to the dining room for every holiday, helping families feel welcomed from the moment they walk through the door.

Comfort-focused menu planning remains a central priority. Residents often share ideas inspired by meals they have enjoyed elsewhere, giving the culinary team opportunities to recreate meaningful dishes and personalize the dining experience. “I love that,” he says. “That’s exactly what we try to do.”

Look for part two of this piece, where these experts share tips and best practices to help senior care communities create shared dining experiences for residents and family.

Paige Cerulli

Paige Cerulli is a contributing writer to i Advance Senior Care.