Health & Wellness: Hospitality & Dining

The most recent research is all about nutrition and plant based blue zone type approach for increasing longevity and preventing age related chronic illness. With the constant advancement of health research, it is important for us to stay up to date with our menu and the nutritional information on which it's based. As retirement home operators, we're concerned with the dietary requirements of seniors, so the goal is for this menu to meet those needs as well as catering specifically to brain health. The menu should also strike a good balance between different types of protein. We want to use this opportunity to develop a 5 week menu that provides meal options based on the latest in seniors' health research, along with preparation sheets for our staff on how to prepare and plate the recipes. Through this collaboration, we would like to develop a 5 week menu plan that contains three key elements: (1) menu options suiting the nutritional needs of senior residents (with a focus on brain health) (2) great tasting food that fits our budget (3) preparation sheets with recipe, preparation, and plating guidelines for staff

Program Development Health Sciences:End of Life Care

Currently, we do not have a specialized program for End of Life care. We would like to better understand what options are available, what their impact has been, and what science is behind them. We're looking for something that could be implemented in many retirement homes, and is appropriate to a retirement setting, not a hospice. Ultimately, we would like a proposal for a person-centered End of Life care program created by students and based on research of best practices in seniors' health care. Research will include: Finding what other programs exist Learning about the science behind them Looking at how other programs define "End of Life" Research may also involve learning about the following: End of life and Palliative care topics: Early detection of end of life---proactive rather than reactive Care planning Reduction in hospital admissions/ transfers Pain management Goals of care/advanced directives Clinical- unnecessary medications, hydration, skin integrity, equipment Person centered---spiritual, emotional, and social support Resident/ Family inclusion Care giver support Medical Assistance in dying MAID 5 stages of dying End of life care for people with Dementia Palliative care goals: Improves quality of life Gives relief from pain and other distressing symptoms Supports life and keeping people as healthy as possible, regarding dying as a normal process Doesn’t quicken or postpone death Combines psychological and spiritual aspects of care Offers a support system to help people live as actively as possible until death Offers a support system to help the family cope during a person’s treatment and in bereavement Uses a team approach to address the needs of the person who is ill and their families Should apply to the earlier stages of illness, alongside other therapies that are aimed at prolonging life Final deliverables include: An End of Life care program proposal A 10-15-minute presentation/video A comprehensive End of Life care program proposal, to be developed through research by students. Proposal to be submitted as a report and presented in a video.