Comparison of Food Service Provision by Food Service Operational Types for Residential Facilities

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study aimed to compare the status of food service provision by residential facilities’s food service operational type. Methods: Data were collected by fax or web-based surveying nutritionists or facility managers working in 731 residential facilities in Korea. Residential facilities were extracted through a proportionate stratified sampling method based on region, establishment entity, types of food service, and facility size. Data analysis was performed using SAS program. Results: Among long term care facilities, self-operational food service types were 74.6% and outsourced service types 25.6%. It was found that outsourced service types were mostly chosen by private and independent establishments facilities. In addition, it was found that there were differences in food service personnel (full-time cooks, part-time cooks, and food service quality management managers), physical environments (senior living dining and cooking place), meal-related expenses, and providing food and nutrients(planing menu, compliance of menu plan, diabetic diet provision, served within 2 hours, identifying resident opinions) for each food service operation method. Finally, It was found that there were no differences in nutritional management (evaluation of nutritional status, nutrition intervention, food and nutrition service, nutrition education, nutrition counseling, multidisciplinary nutrition management by food service operational type. Conclusions: It is suggested that regulatory reforms are needed to establish a continuous monitoring and evaluation system for the quality of food service and nutrition management services for each food service type. In addition, it is suggested that a study to analyze whether there are differences in meal satisfaction, nutritional status, functional status and health status of subjects food service operational type.