The aged care dining room isn’t just a place for eating – it’s a place for celebrating, savouring, socialising and reminiscing. Most of us will have memories of family dinners, whether it was the smell of Mum’s Sunday roast wafting through the house, funny memories of sibling antics or even a Christmas dinner disaster.

Home-cooked meals evoke memories of the past, stimulate the senses and break down the sense of institutional life.  In residential aged-care and respite settings, eating is often regimented for greater efficiency, removing the social aspect that so much of our enjoyment is tied to – but it doesn’t have to be that way.

The benefits of private dining rooms for aged care residents:

• Separation from general dining gives residents the chance to communicate with family members over a meal, like they would at home.

• The ability to create or continue traditions or rituals, for example a Sunday roast with the family.

• Special occasions can be celebrated with family and friends in a safe and comfortable environment.

• Where home-like meals are presented in a dementia-friendly environment they can lift spirits and evoke memories of the past and meals enjoyed with loved ones can improve appetite.

• Carefully selected fit for purpose furniture provides comfort and security for residents, allowing them to participate in activities they have always enjoyed.

Providing private dining experiences for aged care residents without family:

Residents without family members don’t need to miss out on satisfying private dining experiences. Bringing together residents and staff in an organised private dining experience allows residents to socialise with one another in a different environment. Simply moving away from the general dining room can make the experience feel special and unique, with staff often finding that residents moods are lifted long after the plates have been cleared away.

Private dining spaces also give the opportunity to involve volunteers from the community in a unique way, allowing residents to connect and engage with new people, sharing their stories and getting to know someone over a meal.