Every Friday afternoon during the summer at the 82-bed nursing and rehab center in Hoosick Falls something special happens right around noon time. On any other day, residents would stay inside and eat the usual food from the standard menu; however, on Fridays the Hoosick Falls Health Center offers the “Backyard Bistro” to its residents. Cue the French music; open the patio set, and, voila, you are in the “Backyard Bistro.” This is just one of the many unique programs the Hoosick Falls Health Center has begun to offer its residents in order to
distinguish itself in the current, down economy. The magnificent courtyard surrounded by its carefully manicured garden beds becomes an elegant outdoor eatery with linen table cloths, napkins and music playing in the background.
“The Bistro menu offers something a bit more upscale: serving entrees similar to those in a fine dining establishment,” said Food Service Director, Jane Richardson. “It’s really about offering our residents something a bit more, something above average.” From shrimp cocktail to lobster bisque, from charbroiled petit filet mignon to wild grilled salmon, residents in the long term care facility are treated much more like royalty than like just another resident. To top the meal off, desserts include French silk pie and apple pie a la mode. Richardson was the originator of the idea. “It was just one, special way that we could enhance the experience for residents at the Center. We are also working with other aspects of dining to make the residents’ stay more ‘home-like’.” Richardson has eliminated food service carts and patient trays. Food is served directly from the steam table to the residents instead of being brought around. “The focus is to make food service less institutional and instead provide a more restaurant and family style of service,” Richardson said.
Paul Corbett, Administrator of the Hoosick Falls Health Center, said, “We have had to come up with some unique and appealing programs to attract residents over the years and especially now, as all industries are dealing with the down economy. As a nursing and rehab center, we understand that we are from a rural, local community, however, we see that as one of our greatest strengths. Our location provides us with the opportunity to offer some great, unique, out-of-the-box programs to our residents. We have our “Backyard Bistro,” a resident favorite, which in the winter months will turn into a made to order breakfast station. We also offer horticulture programming for residents. They help create the gardens that go around the building for the entire summer. We actually give garden tours where the local town community comes in and walks around the garden. The gardens are out of this world. As mentioned, our kitchen has been converted into a made to order food service where residents can order down to the ingredient what they want – something quite unheard of in this industry. We are also working to update our technology, offering a technology lounge with a Wii system, WiFi for families to connect and large flat screen TV. This room won’t have the institutional feel of a nursing home but rather the ambiance of a comfortable lounge as we offer private dining in the room during meals.”
Corbett continued, “I think the uniqueness of this initiative is two fold. One, it’s imperative, especially in these economic times, that we set ourselves apart. Older folks want to get away from the institutional feel; I think the value we can offer them is in our creative programming and small town feel. The second reason, something near and dear to my heart as a former nurse, is that we get to create a “continued lifestyle” experience for our residents. The staff works hard to make it so that when you enter our doors you can continue your normal lifestyle of cooking, gardening and living. We want to make sure each day counts. I think that’s quite an exceptional mission.”