For people living with dementia, dining can serve up a host of challenges. Many memory care residents in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and other senior living communities are finicky eaters, and food preferences often turn on a dime. Some have difficulty discerning colors, temperatures, and plate boundaries.
Despite high spending in the Medicare program – $702 billion in 2017 – ensuring consistent, high-quality senior care is often an elusive goal. To tackle the challenge, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) continues to evolve its Medicare payment structure.
In my 19 years in the healthcare industry I have talked with hundreds of residents and family members and it helped me have a greater appreciation for what families go through when making the big, life-changing decisions for their older family members. But nothing could prepare me for what it was like – up close and personal.