We all know how difficult it is to get residents of senior living facilities to eat, regardless of how good your dietary program is. Residents miss “their” food. They don’t like unfamiliar foods or foods dictated by their medical condition. They may have dementia, which also impacts appetite and/or one’s ability to swallow and eat. They may encourage family members to bring them food that may or may not be appropriate.
Strategies for delivering nutrition vary, but the most common is to add a liquid supplement to residents’ meals or as a snack. Success is limited. While individuals may drink it at first, ongoing compliance drops as these supplements are not tasty and perceived as medicine and not food.
It doesn’t take research to show the correlation between poor nutrition and a resident’s condition. Adult malnutrition causes unintended weight loss and makes older adults more vulnerable to illness, inhibits the ability of wounds and bedsores to heal, and can affect cognitive function. A lack of B vitamins, especially B12, are poorly absorbed as the body ages and can impact negatively on those with Alzheimer’s disease. A lack of Vitamins A, C and D, as well as calcium, can affect a host of conditions.
So how can senior living facilities get residents to consume the nutrition they need while enjoying the food they eat? Here’s a suggestion:
Make nutrition the life of the party – and mealtime – with a familiar food, ice cream, that delivers 
unexpected benefits, complete nutrition. Meet Thrive Ice Cream.
Understanding the challenges faced by senior living facilities and health systems and wanting to make good nutrition something welcomed by residents, Thrive Nutrition for Healthcare created Thrive Ice Cream. Unlike other frozen desserts marketed to the healthcare industry, Thrive is real ice cream, made with real dairy and natural flavors and colorings, and delivers high levels of protein, 24 vitamins and minerals, four active probiotics for digestive and immune health, and natural inulin fiber.
Because it is “real” ice cream, Thrive delivers the experience residents remember and expect. It has a creamy texture. The flavors – vanilla, chocolate and strawberry – are intense and delicious. Most patients need no convincing to eat Thrive Ice Cream. When they consume a six-ounce serving of Thrive you know they’re getting complete nutrition and you’re cutting back on waste associated with thrown-away food.
Incorporating Thrive Ice Cream into your senior living facility’s dietary plan is simple. Thrive is available in six-ounce, single serve cups that supports patient control and is easy to serve. A growing number of senior living facilities use Thrive for:
- Refreshments at group socials
- Dessert on meal trays
- Snacks
- Meal supplements
Thrive for Healthcare is also testing three-gallon bulk containers for those facilities that want to scoop their own servings or want to make protein shakes and smoothies for residents.
Mealtime shouldn’t be a struggle nor should you have to worry about residents getting appropriate nutrition. Adding Thrive Ice Cream to your menu will have residents welcoming their meals and snacks. And you no longer have to worry so much about residents’ intake.
Thrive Ice Cream is a unique dietary supplement that combines America’s favorite dessert with nutrition essential to human health. It is approved for use by a growing number of Group Purchasing Organizations, including Entegra. Learn more on our website. Please contact us for more information on Thrive and how to add it to your menu: Info@ThriveIceCream.com