Senior living has seen a revolution in dining services over the last decade or so, and rightly so.
After all, many of today’s older adults moving into continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) expect and demand the dining and convenience options they enjoyed before.
To meet these demands, providers such as Aramark SeniorLIFE+ stay up-to-date on the latest trends to offer innovative programs that enhance the experiences—and increase the satisfaction—of senior living residents.
“We strive to make every interaction and every detail feel special and intentional for residents,” said Joe Gorman, CEO, Aramark SeniorLIFE+. “It is important for us to work with clients and listen to residents to create curated, meaningful solutions tailored to each senior living community.”
Following are the top trends Aramark SeniorLIFE+ experts predict will make the biggest impact in 2025 and beyond.
The revolution in culinary and hospitality experiences in senior living is here. Today’s seniors are moving into communities at an earlier age with new expectations focused on variety, food trends, convenience with access to dining 24/7, freedom of choice, and a dining program that supports a wellness lifestyle.
To deliver on these expectations, providers such as Aramark SeniorLIFE+ have their finger on the pulse of the latest trends and deliver through innovative curated solutions that elevate the resident/consumer experience—and increase satisfaction.
“We endeavor to make every interaction and every detail feel special and intentional for residents,” said Adam Grafton, VP Operational Excellence, Aramark SeniorLIFE+. “It is important for us to work with clients and listen to residents to create curated, meaningful solutions tailored to each senior living community.”
Following are the top trends Aramark SeniorLIFE+ experts predict will make the biggest impact in 2025 and beyond.
1. Experience Dining Emerges
Meeting the dining expectations of today's seniors requires a new approach. The goal is to emulate their everyday dining patterns before entering a CCRC, which can include a range of sophisticated dining palates, regional and local cuisines, global flavors, and seasonal ingredients.
Seniors want service times—and convenience options—that fit with their active lives. Dining is seen as more than just a meal; it’s a way to socialize and connect within their community.
“Some residents enjoy a roast chicken dinner at 4:00 PM; others want Thai food at 8:00 PM,” said Lucas Leventry, Corporate Executive Chef, Aramark SeniorLIFE+. “Our chefs bring passion to every dish. We focus on culinary creativity and taste, using locally sourced and seasonal ingredients whenever possible to ensure residents enjoy memorable meals that cater to their tastes and nutritional needs.”
From fine dining and homestyle dining to quick casual, grab-and-go, and catering, senior living residents will continue to expect quality, variety, and convenience.
To further enhance the dining experience and foster a sense of community, Aramark SeniorLIFE+ operators often collaborate with local restaurants, bringing food trucks onsite to add variety or offering local favorites such as BBQ and trending cuisines.
Themed special events incorporating community activities, fitness, and marketing departments lead to a well-rounded experience.
“Our mission is to build a platform for experience dining that works for each location,” said Natalie Rose-Miller, Director of Marketing Communications, Aramark SeniorLIFE+. “Whether your budget is small or large, we aim to touch every part of our residents’ lives in that community.”
2. Super-Agers and a Focus on Wellness
Older adults often embrace a more youthful mindset. Experts who study aging and wellness have started referring to a person’s “health span” rather than “life span.”
Through wellness-crafted menus, nutrition and lifestyle education, and engaging, resident-centric programs, Aramark SeniorLIFE+ dietitians enhance the overall well-being of the community.
“Promoting a culture of health and well-being is a cornerstone commitment of ours,” said Laurie Van Cleft, MS-RDN, Director of Clinical Nutrition, Aramark SeniorLIFE+. “We take a holistic approach to health to ensure that residents thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
The team has constructed a wellness platform for senior living communities that can be customized for each location. The program covers important steps to better living, including nutritious and delicious food, dietary needs, physical activity, mind and emotional health, and more.
For example, at one large multi-state CCRC client, Aramark SeniorLife+ has mapped out a calendar of activities to support the client’s wellness platform, including a gardening program, teaching kitchens where residents are taught the importance of food and overall wellness, and leveraging outside health and wellness experts to guide residents on a host of issues.
“Many of our clients have residents who need memory care and skilled nursing experts,” said Van Cleft. “In those cases, it’s important for us to provide delicious, healthy food that is visually appealing to meet nutritional requirements and promote dining with dignity.”
3. Technology to Drive Efficiency, Quality, and Satisfaction
There is no doubt. Technology plays a dominant role in modern living—and that translates into modern senior living, as well.
Advanced technology and innovative thinking are crucial to connect and streamline operations, to ensure seamless and efficient service, and to enhance the residents’ experience.
With the strength of Aramark systems and processes behind it, Aramark SeniorLIFE+ taps into technology solutions to deliver operational efficiency for clients.
“Advanced technology enables our people to focus on what matters—delivering remarkable hospitality experiences,” said Gilbert Heiselt, Director of Technology, Aramark SeniorLIFE+. “Artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, such as Aramark’s Hospitality IQ enhance the resident experience, empower operators, and further drive our clients’ business objectives.”
This includes AI-powered procurement to transform data into actionable insights to make smarter purchasing and supply chain decisions across Aramark’s lines of business, including Aramark SeniorLIFE+.
Aramark’s Culinary Co-Pilot optimizes menu creation and reduces food costs with AI-driven tools.
Frictionless shopping, through which customers can choose retail items, scan them, and pay without interacting with a traditional cashier, is available at senior living micro-markets where residents can buy sundries, gifts, snacks, and gourmet prepared meals to-go, among other items.
Aramark SeniorLIFE+ also supports mobile ordering of snacks and gifts through an Aramark-developed platform. Family members and loved ones can order and have delivered gift baskets for special occasions—or as an everyday pick-me-up.
Residents may also provide important feedback through a technology-based platform to enhance their offerings and service, providing immediate direction to staff members and clients via kiosks and/or mobile devices.
4. Creating a Culture of Hospitality
Today’s dining in senior living communities has become more than the service of food and beverages.
Residents expect interactions with staff members to be courteous, friendly, and welcoming. They expect warmth and a level of hospitality.
Building this culture of hospitality requires collaboration, innovation, and a deep desire to exceed resident and client expectations.
“We invest in our team members with the training, tools, and systems they need to embody the values of hospitality—and to successfully deliver on them,” said Barbara Ferguson, Director of Hospitality and Resident Experience, Aramark SeniorLIFE+. “Leveraging Aramark’s Service Excellence platform is how we embody a hospitality culture.”
Aramark’s Hospitality Enablement team comprises leaders who are experts in their fields and are focused on ensuring the success of field operators in several discipline areas, including operational excellence, culinary and menu enablement, housekeeping and laundry services, facility management, marketing, and safety and risk solutions.
Aramark SeniorLIFE+ managers access the training, team huddle guides, and videos from Hospitality Enablement to better equip their teams on a variety of topics, including food safety, operational excellence, high energy service, and effective communication.
“Creating this culture of hospitality resonates with our associates because they feel part of something bigger—and it resonates with the residents,” said Ferguson.
