At Beachwood Commons Assisted Living, meals are times for socialization, celebration, nutritious food and a chance to broaden residents’ culinary horizons

By Mary Malik

For the residents of Beachwood Commons Assisted Living, mealtimes are much more than just breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are times for socialization, celebration, nutritious food and even a chance to broaden residents’ culinary horizons.

New Executive Chef and Dining Services Manager Ivan Beutell has plans for the residents that include introducing them to many of the culinary delights he’s discovered and created in his 30 years as a professional chef in New York City and New Jersey.

“The first thing Chef Ivan is doing is talking to each resident in the Community, getting to know their background, likes and dislikes, and what they’d like to see on the Dining Room menu,” says Senior Living Counselor Diane Strunak. “Chef Ivan has worked in restaurants, in corporate dining and in assisted living communities. He knows the importance of mealtime here and understands that it’s so much more than just food. We all look forward to his fresh approach and innovative ideas to keep our residents happy and satisfied.”

The community dining that takes place in assisted living communities offers socialization and provides both physical and mental support and stimulation for residents. Appetites tend to decrease with the aging process, and seniors can sometimes lose interest in foods they used to enjoy. When people are isolated, preparing food and eating regularly can become a chore, and one that is often forgotten or even ignored due to lack of interest. One of Chef Ivan’s goals is to appeal to the individual tastes of the residents with the meal choices while also providing good nutrition and lots of flavor.

“I am excited to be at Beachwood Commons and plan to make the Community’s Dining Room experience an outstanding cornerstone of Beachwood Commons’ Resident Services,” says Chef Ivan.

Diane adds, “For many of our residents, before they came here eating just wasn’t what it used to be. They weren’t enjoying meals anymore. Cooking for themselves became difficult, as did many other daily tasks. Meals often lacked proper nutrition or were skipped altogether. It’s amazing how quickly things like malnutrition and dehydration can occur, and, when they do, can cause many other life-threatening problems. It’s a very slippery slope.”

Studies have shown that nearly half of senior households that have experienced food insecurity were those where a person was living alone. Issues like lack of mobility and the development of dementia add to the problem. And in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic certainly contributed to the isolation, vulnerability and often food scarcity for the senior population living alone.

“The dining experience here at Beachwood Commons is something our residents really enjoy and look forward to every day,” says Diane. “Chef Ivan understands there are high expectations where the food is concerned. Many of our residents have very discerning tastes, and he aims to please each and every one.”

Along with the food, much of the social life and celebrations at Beachwood Commons center around mealtime. Theme days, holidays and National (fill in the appropriate food here) Day are all celebrated by the dining services culinary team and add to the meal enjoyment and overall fun for the residents.

“We don’t miss a holiday or reason to celebrate,” says Diane. “National Donut Day, pancake day, ice cream day…you name it and we celebrate it. And the great news is that during these fun times the staff can keep an eye on our residents and make sure all of their nutritional needs are also being met. Good nutrition and a balanced diet lead to a better quality of life for all of our residents.”

The fun doesn’t stop when residents leave the Dining Room. Wine Down Wednesdays, happy hours and snacks throughout the day are all part of the plan to keep residents healthy, interested and engaged.

“Even with the isolation from families during Covid-19 protocols, our residents are cared for and attended to, so the families at least don’t have to worry about a senior loved one being on their own during this time,” says Diane. “The separation is difficult for everyone, but knowing they are safe removes a lot of the worry for families.”

According to Diane, Beachwood Commons residents will soon be scheduled for Covid-19 vaccinations, which will set this Community on the path to resuming traditional visitations from family and friends again.

“We all look forward to that and thankfully, as a senior living community, we are high on the list of populations to receive the vaccines,” says Diane. “We’re all anxiously awaiting the day when we can open up our doors to family and friends again. But, for now, we’re managing well to keep residents safe, happy and well fed.”

Beachwood Commons is located at 3995 Green Road in Beachwood. For more information, call 216-295-1700 or visit LifeServicesAssistedLiving.com.