As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads across the globe and new numbers come out each day, people are making constant changes to their normal routines. With the number of infections and deaths more threatening to the aging population, nursing homes and assisted living has completely changed their "normal."
From keeping patients quarantined in their rooms to delivering meals, these facilities are going above and beyond to protect the health and well-being of their residents. Senior care centers who haven't offered room service are scrambling to get the equipment to deliver meals to each room or suite. When you're picking out new food carts, here are some things to consider.
Open or Enclosed
Your new food cart is going to have the backbone of shelves. Each level has a tray with meals covering it. The tray slides into the cart. With a little organization, you can arrange meals in the order that you need to deliver them in. One thing to decide is if you want the cart open or enclosed.
If you choose the enclosed cart, it'll keep the food a little warmer than an open cart. However, you'll have to pull trays out to see the plates of food on each one. Another thing to consider is that people are less likely to open an enclosed cart without someone else there than they would be to take things off an open cart. Also, you limit the number of people around the food plates with an enclosed cart, and this can possibly help to slow the spread of germs.
Bins, Drawers, and Containers
When selecting your new food carts, you'll find some of them include bins, drawers, drink dispensers, containers, and other areas for organisation. If you have a lot of residents with special diets and find you need to add yogurt to this tray or a fat-free creamer to that one, you may want a food cart tray with lots of storage to keep these items.
You can keep specialty items and drinks in the bin for easy access as you're delivering from one room to the next. Use the bins to store extra eating utensils, napkins, salt and pepper, and other odds and ends that your senior guests need to finish their meals.
Easy Cleaning and Disinfecting
You can select carts made from stainless steel or a combination of stainless steel and heavy-duty plastic. These materials are easily cleaned with warm soapy water, and you can use bleach to clean these materials to help stop the spread of germs.
You don't need to worry about getting every nook and cranny dry because stainless steel is resistant to rust and corrosion. You can get carts made in different grades from a light, eco-friendly steel to heavy-duty steel to ensure it stands up to three meals a day for a long time to come. It's a good idea to take into account how often you'll use the cart and exactly what you'll carry in it to determine the grade of material.
Food Prep
Do you need room on your cart to do a little food prep? You can purchase a cart that you can run a toaster and other small appliances on or choose one with a fully functioning countertop. You can use the countertop to slice up lemons for water or to cut up a patient's meal into smaller bites.
W.D. Colledge is a proud representative for Hatch Industries; they understand the demands of delivering meals to a property filled with guests and patients. You need a solution to move meals from the kitchens to rooms quickly without losing quality. Contact us today to learn more about the carts we offer and for help choosing the right solutions for the senior care facility.
