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Dietitians are individuals who study food and how it affects the body. They work in a variety of settings, from long-term care communities to private practices to sports. The goal of a dietitian is to help educate their clientele on healthy eating habits and encourage them to make positive changes to their diet.

We interviewed Kristin Stovall, Consultant Dietitian at Tallmadge Health and Rehab, as well as Shani Artino, Consultant Dietitian at Bath Creek Estates and Oaks of Brecksville, to learn more about the day in the life of a dietitian.

“I love my job, and I love working for Saber,” Stovall mentioned. “I enjoy the simple things that make people happy in my day to day work!”

“It’s a pleasure and honor working for Saber,” Artino shared.

Tell us a little about your background

We asked Stovall and Artino for their story on how they entered the dietetics field.

“Initially, I wanted to become a social worker. I enrolled in a college program and toward the end of my degree, I found a passion for nutrition. I decided to switch because I always had an interest in healthy eating and exercising,” Stovall told us. “My father also had a heart attack at 50. After going through that experience, I felt motivated to learn more about health and nutrition.”

“When I went to college, there were two nutritional focuses available: maternal and childhood, and gerontology. I decided to do both of them and earned my Master’s in public health and nutrition. My first job out of college was at Walton Manor. I ended up leaving Walton Manor to work at the Akron General Wellness Center to focus on weight loss initiatives within the community. I came back to Walton Manor when it was under Saber, eventually transitioning into working at other buildings in Northeast Ohio. I’m currently at Bath Creek Estates and Oaks of Brecksville,” Artino said.

Tell us a little about the day in the life of a Dietitian

“I always assess new admissions when I first come in. Part of my role at Tallmadge Health and Rehab is checking the residents’ weight changes as well as their skin conditions to determine their health. On days when we have a resident review, I look at the residents who have a nutritional risk. Sometimes, we have schedule changes thrown into our day, but we can adapt and be flexible,” Stovall explained.

“My role has a very heavy clinical side to it. I take care of assessing our new admissions, and we get a lot of in and outs. I also monitor the resident weight changes and meal intake,” Artino mentioned.

What qualifications do you need to become a dietitian?

Both Stovall and Artino told us that in the past, you needed a bachelor’s from an accredited university as well as a certification to become a dietitian. However, in 2024, aspiring dietitians will need a Master’s degree in order to take the certification exam.

What is something about being a dietitian that most people may not know?

“Many people think that we eat a perfect diet. However, this is far from the truth; I definitely have a sweet tooth. Some of the residents will have difficulty cutting out sugar as well, and many might be surprised by that,” Stovall said.

“I think people don’t know we have extensive training in lab values and learn about how the nutrients we eat affect those. There is a much bigger clinical piece than you may realize,” Artino informed us.

What is your best piece of nutritional advice?

“I like to tell people to not eliminate food groups from their diet. Instead, you should always keep your portions in check. Your body needs a variety of nutrients to work properly. While a fad diet may work initially, it is often not sustainable over the long term,” Stovall advised.

“The less processed your food, the better. If it can stay on the shelf for 6-8 months, you probably should avoid it if you want to eat healthier,” Artino said.

How have you seen some of the new programs at participating buildings, such as the Fresh Bread program, make an impact on the residents’ nutrition?

“We just started the fresh bread program, and our team has already seen positive results! The residents will come down to the dining room because they can smell the fresh bread baking. They are excited to eat homemade bread from scratch, and it is a really nice touch to their meals,” Stovall told us.

“We just started the fresh bread program. When the residents smell the break cooking, many of them say it reminds them of when they were younger,” Artino explained. “The Port of Call program is also great because the residents learn about the different areas we visit. Our Life Enrichment team will research and decorate for the Port of Call days,” Artino shared.

What is one positive experience you’ve had since joining Saber?

“I’ve been here for a long time, and I feel fortunate for all the people I’ve met. I have made friends and learned new skills from different departments to help our residents reach their goals. It is always an awesome feeling when you can do that for someone,” Stovall said.

“I have so many positive experiences here at Saber Healthcare,” Artino mentioned. “A resident taught me an old needle art form that involves tying knots to make lace. I’ve also learned some new cooking techniques when people tell me how they used to eat. I have also heard many stories from our veterans, and appreciate them more than before.”

Saber Healthcare Appreciates Our Dietitians

Dietitians play a huge role in the health and well-being of our residents. If you’re interested in applying for an open dietitian position near you, check out our careers.

Saber Healthcare is an organization dedicated to providing consultant services to long term care providers. This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to be seen as professional advice. Please consult with a medical expert before relying on the information provided.