We are what we eat! The community at East Ridge at Cutler Bay actively works to encourage informed food choices, developing sound eating habits, and physical activity habits. We have a unique advantage at East Ridge at Cutler Bay which allows us to offer a variety of dining options that are beneficial and enjoyable for residents. Enjoyable dining options, each packed with nutrition are one of the ways we contribute to the wellness of our community members.
Member of the East Ridge at Cutler Bay community enjoy the convivial dining room for lunch and dinners. Like any restaurant, reservations are useful for enabling staff to plan when people and their guests will be dining. There’s a cocktail area adjoining the dining room for happy hours. Wait staff provides table service while a daily salad buffet offers an array of healthy salad choices. A varied menu provides many options for a wide variety of entrees.
For residents who desire in-home dining; they no longer need to worry about bringing home prepared food from the local grocery store; East Ridge offers meal pick up for lunches and dinners from the Peacock Café. Many residents who are on the go during the day enjoy this flexibility and a change of pace from the dining room. They’ll phone their orders in and drop by on their golf carts for their packaged meals before heading home.
There are many opportunities for nutritional counseling through the community’s Vitality Program, Dietitian and Wellness Center. “We want people to live healthier when they move to East Ridge,” said Rick Drew, director of marketing.
In addition to dining at East Ridge, many of the monthly social events and activities include picnic lunches, cocktail hours with appetizers and much more so there is a wide of variety of dining activities.
On-going teaching is part of the monthly calendar of events as people are continually interested about healthy options. There are lectures by staff specialists as well as guest speakers. For example, a recently added program is called Diane’s Food Adventures and residents have a choice to either lend a hand preparing healthy food treats or watching the food preparation. Last month they watched a demonstration creating Pizza Pinwheels and California Honey Cheese dip with fresh fruit. Sampling their creations was part of the fun.
“We often hear our prospective residents talk about how lonely they are dining at home, said Drew. Seniors tend to opt for what they have in their kitchen cabinets without thinking of the nutritional value of the foods they eat. Whether it’s convenience, lack of motivation or energy, depression or disinterest in food; dining becomes secondary.
“What a change occurs when they move to East Ridge, he said. They always have people for companionship and conversation and no longer have to worry about food preparation or shopping.