www.ohca.com FALL/WINTER 2024 The Oregon Caregiver 19 SPONSORED CONTENT The concept of choice architecture has illustrated new ways of enhancing the well-being of diners in restaurants, corporate cafes, schools and hospitals. Is there a role for choice architecture in senior living dining programs? The short answer is YES. Helping residents choose the best options at mealtimes is part of our job as senior living professionals, and choice architecture can help us with this. What is Choice Architecture? Choice architecture refers to the deliberate crafting of decision-making environments.1 In the dining experience, using choice architecture might mean presenting different foods in different ways, using certain verbiage on menus, or offering foods in a certain order, all for the sake of influencing the way a decision is made about what to eat. In senior living, we can use these principles to help residents choose foods in line with their health goals, eat more foods that will help them maintain weight, eat more of their meal overall, and drink more fluids to support better hydration. Two important aspects of choice architecture are menu engineering and behavioral nudges. Menu Engineering Menu engineering can take many forms. The way we name our dishes can have a huge impact on the perception of those foods.2 Ask residents how they would describe their favorite dishes, then consider adding those words to accurately name dishes on your menu. Using appealing words like “crisp,” “creamy,” “luscious,” or “rich” can impact the way your residents choose various foods, which may help them with their health Can Choice Architecture Influence Resident Well-being? By Jen Bruning, MS, RDN, LDN, Incite Strategic Partners goals. Incorporate high-quality photos of foods on the menu to give folks a better idea of what to expect on their plate. Upgrade your posted or hand-held menus to better serve your clientele and add distinction to your dining program. Consider using symbols to mark choices on a menu that support various health conditions. This strategy has been shown to be particularly effective when used on Baby Boomers. Indicating which items are lower sodium or fat, a good source of fiber or are considered part of the Mediterranean diet could all help diners make smart choices at mealtimes. Behavioral Nudges Behavior “Nudges” refer to small influential shifts to the environment to foster healthier decision-making. In senior living, we can nudge residents in several ways: • Make hydration stations more visually appealing and easier to get to, nudging folks to stay better hydrated. • List a healthier meal option earlier on a menu allowing folks to make the better choice for themselves before being overwhelmed by more menu options. • Consider colorful table settings. Different color schemes may influence residents’ PO intake. For example, red colored plates can help enhance appetite, whereas yellow sustains attention. Used more often for people living with dementia, these colorful options may also increase intake among residents without dementia as well. While many of these ideas are used in the general population to reduce caloric intake, rarely is that the goal among seniors. “Healthy” is defined by what is best for the individual, which might mean weight gain or maintenance, and often includes a focus on enjoyment. Get creative and have fun using these theories to enhance the well-being of residents in new and innovative ways. Jen Bruning is the director of nutrition and brand innovation with Incite Strategic Partners, OHCA’s purchasing partner and an OHCA business partner. This article has been sponsored and provided by Incite Strategic Partners. References: 1. https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/psychology/ choice-architecture 2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ S0278431924002354 Consider using symbols to mark choices on a menu that support various health conditions. This strategy has been shown to be particularly effective when used on Baby Boomers.
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