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Centennial Place dietary staff were honoured during Nutrition
Services Staff Appreciation Week, held Feb. 15-19 at the Millbrook
long-term care home.
Centennial Place recognizes dietary
staff members
Home celebrates Nutrition Services Staff Appreciation Week
Tuesday March 2, 2010 -- Jennifer Higgs
Centennial Place paid tribute to its hard-working dietary staff
by celebrating Nutrition Services Staff Appreciation Week in February.
The Millbrook long-term care home’s director of dietary services
Vicki Coppins says the week provided staff members with a well-deserved
pat on the back.
Coppins says the week is important for staff recognition, recruitment
and retention, noting the department has had only one staff member
leave in the last year and that was to go school to become a nurse.
One of the areas the week highlighted was staff members working
on education, says Coppins.
There are 21 dietary staff members at the home, and 13 are enrolled
or pursuing post-secondary education in programs, such as food service,
nutrition managers, cook apprentices and food service worker certification.
Coppins notes this is a result of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term
Care raising the minimum education standards for dietary staff in
2007.
The department also celebrated recent successes, including an Accreditation
Canada visit in December 2009 that gave the department “rave
reviews,” says Coppins.
“There were improvements needed and we worked hard to do them
and they worked,” she tells the Morning Report.
The department changed from a cook-chill method to same-day meal
preparation, which resulted in increased resident satisfaction.
On Friday, Feb. 19, all disciplines were invited to attend a celebration.
Staff members were served by the management team and treated to
a nacho bar, cake and drinks.
Sarah Vos, a cook, says the week showed the home’s respect
for staff members.
“It’s great that they do that for us and it’s
a great thing that we can all get together and enjoy it,”
says Vos.
Vos is in her second year of the cook apprentice program at Sir
Sandford Fleming College, and says she most enjoys the skill-building
opportunities in the workplace.
“It’s a good place to work, I enjoy it here,”
says Vos.
Staff and families were asked to donate a non-perishable food item
during the week that was donated to the Millbrook Food Bank in the
dietary department’s name.
Administrator Jeff Donovan says recognizing the home’s dietary
staff was one of the highest priorities that week and the opportunity
to say thanks was one to be seized.
“We know that each department and every single staff member
is crucial to the home’s success — success meaning that
our residents are comfortable, respected and well cared for,”
he says.
Donovan says mealtimes are a highlight for residents and “nothing
can be any more important than excellence in the provision, production
and service of great meals that meet the resident’s nutritional
needs.”
He adds the dietary team, led by Coppins, is a “smooth, well-oiled
team that does an excellent job day in and day out.”
This is the second year Centennial Place has celebrated Nutrition
Services Staff Appreciation Week.
The Ontario Society of Nutrition Management promoted Nutrition Services
Staff Appreciation Week Feb. 8-12.
Click
here to learn more.
If you have feedback on this article please
contact jennifer(at)axiomnews.ca, or call the newsroom at 800-294-0051.
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