If we are so blessed and fortunate, we eat the food we love every day, and many senior communities, like Concordia, strive to offer this comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dining options vary greatly by retirement community \u2013 including those offered at Concordia. Some may offer lunch and dinner service, like Concordia at Cabot<\/a>, while others focus entirely on one of the two. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Concordia of the South Hills<\/a> does not offer lunch but offers a high-end dinner service, and they do it well, according to resident Margaret Zabo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s certainly enjoyable, filling and looks nice on the plate when served,\u201d Margaret said. \u201cI always look forward to dessert.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Head chefs at retirement communities craft their menus with great care when it comes to taste, trying to find the right choices that are palatable for most residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At Concordia, many of our head chefs bring decades of experience to the table from many different restaurants and cooking styles. That wisdom allows these seasoned culinarians flexibility. They can accept input and make changes that best suit the residents\u2019 needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur chef is very willing to look into changes,\u201d Margaret said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy favorite thing to do is eat and eat well.\u201d \u2014 Lena Olin<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In senior living communities, chefs constantly weigh dietary needs alongside flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Francine Hlavacek, Concordia at Sumner<\/a> General Manager of Food and Beverage, offers healthy options alongside tastier ones, including lighter choices, gluten-free products and low-sodium options. The menu denotes these with emblems alongside the choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs you get older, certainly your eating habits and your digestive habits change, so we want to be conscious of that,\u201d Francine said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adapting to dietary needs is not unique to Concordia. You will find that many retirement living communities that offer quality dining service will do the same; however, Concordia excels at finding the right fit for your needs and lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maureen Sirianni, Concordia of Bridgeville<\/a> Director of Admissions, spends a lot of time with people looking into retirement living. As one of her first steps, she asks about dietary needs and interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI will also pull in the dining director when families have questions or concerns regarding topics that are connected to religious requirements, or even choices that reflect vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, non-dairy and other lifestyles and specialized diets,\u201d Maureen said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n RELATED: Nutrition Month: Staff & Residents Talk Healthy Eats<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Laughter is brightest in the place where the food is.” \u2014 Irish Proverb<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n While good food nourishes the body, a good dining experience and atmosphere nourishes the mind. Through a shared meal, many seniors find social connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Residents often dine with their friends or guests, recreating that family-like atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMaking meaningful memories through a shared meal creates a huge impact on a resident\u2019s quality of life,\u201d Maureen said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Margaret said she\u2019s discovered some of her favorite people across the dinner table. She and her friends, a group of about six or seven residents, often sync up their dining schedules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe gravitate toward each other. We celebrate birthdays, and we do other things as a group as well, like exercise class or attending entertainment,\u201d Margaret said. \u201cI look forward to that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n RELATED: The Benefits of Living at a Retirement Community: Nutrition and Dining<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Food is memories.” \u2014 Julia Child<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Dining experiences in senior living look different location by location, even if they share some similarities. Aside from the different times meals may be served, regular menus and specialties are as numerous as there are flavors in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Concordia at Sumner<\/a> hosts restaurant-style lunch and dinner service; however, it sets itself apart with a menu steeped in tradition. Francine crafts each day\u2019s menu by pulling selections from a recipe book that features thousands of stored recipes, many submitted by residents over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m really proud to be able to use that,\u201d Francine said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If a recipe submitted by a resident is used, it will list the person\u2019s name alongside the item on the menu. Some of those recipes may have been handed down to those residents and have their own history behind them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt could be a recipe of someone who has passed, and we still use it,\u201d Francine said. \u201cIn a way, it adds to their legacy and the history of Concordia at Sumner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Communal](\"https:\/\/concordialm.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/10\/CONCORDIA-AT-CABOT-Haven-Retirement-Apartments10-1.jpg\")
Nutrition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Companionship<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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