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Foodservice workers in the healthcare field work each day to prepare, cook, and serve meals to the residents that both taste great and provide nutritional benefits. Working in dietary can often be a thankless job, but these individuals are always able to go above and beyond to touch the lives of the residents through their work.

Today, we’re highlighting the team at Suburban Woods Health & Rehabilitation Center! Over the past year, the dietary team at this community has shined by going the extra mile in their everyday roles and helping the residents whenever they can.

“Whenever we’re short or need an extra hand somewhere, my team always jumps in. We have a great staff who doesn’t mind going beyond what their job calls. They always step up to the plate and help out wherever needed,” Mark McBride, Dietary Food Services Supervisor, told us.

Meet the Suburban Woods Team

In total, there are 7 members who make the Suburban Woods team thrive! Most of the employees on Mark McBride’s team are Jamaican, making this group feel like a hardworking family. McBride told us that they are a close-knit team that enjoys working together to make the residents’ day.

Group photo of some of the Suburban Woods Dietary team members with Mark McBride

Craig is the top cook and supervisor, and he has been at Suburban Woods Health & Rehabilitation Center for 27 years. He always steps in whenever McBride isn’t there, and he’s reliant whenever something comes up short notice.

Photo of Craig, the top Cook and Supervisor

Veronica has been at Suburban Woods for 24 years and works at almost every station the dietary team has. Normally, people would need the training to do different roles, but Veronica has the experience and ability to jump in wherever needed.

Photo of Veronica, one of the Suburban Woods dietary team members

Ajae is another one of the team’s cooks. She originally started out jumping in wherever they were short and eventually worked her way to her current role.

“I love getting letters back from the residents saying how they liked the food. I specifically enjoy putting effort into side salads,” Ajae mentioned.

Sadie has been working at Suburban Woods for 9 years. She always helps the team wherever she can, powering through whatever circumstances come up.

“I love doing everything in my role, so I don’t have a favorite part. I really enjoy making desserts for the residents, from fresh fruit to jello to pie to cookies. I definitely feel that the teamwork we have makes the dream work because everyone manages to help out,” Sadie commented.

Sonya has been on the team for 3 years, and she is always willing to pick up shifts or come in to lend a hand. She will work any station, whether it’s prep or serving the residents.

“My favorite part about working here is the tray line – especially when we make desserts. I feel that I am really good at my job, and I like that our boss is good to us,” Sonya said.

Ernest is the newest member of the dietary team and has been there for three months. He often volunteers to help different departments, from assisting the people in the kitchen to taking out the trash. He keeps the kitchen area clean and organized, and he also works tray line whenever needed.

Marcus came to Suburban Woods as a part-time employee and works all stations the dietary team has. He is a great team player, and McbBride is glad to have an addition who is a strong hand like him on the team!

The Dietary Team’s Impact on Our Residents

“Every day, my team works for the residents because it’s all about them. I preach that every day to them. We do our best to make them happy and give them the meals that they need,” McBride said.

One way the Suburban Woods Health & Rehabilitation Center team impacts our residents is by having cookouts during the summer holidays such as Labor Day or Memorial Day. This year, the team had a barbeque with entertainers and live singers to make the 4^th of July special for the residents.

The Suburban Woods dietary team will also make special made-to-order breakfasts for the residents every Tuesday and Thursday. The residents can order food items from omelets to French toast to waffles. Typically, around 40 residents will come to the special breakfast, and they enjoy watching the meals being cooked in front of them. The event will also often be accompanied by music to help create a fun atmosphere in the morning.

The dietary team also works on a themed meal every month where they put together a special dinner. This will often accompany the residents’ birthdays for the month, and there will be cake available as well.

The Life Enrichment team will often coordinate alongside the dietary team to plan special events during the month. The dietary team will assist as needed to help create special food items behind those events.

Going Beyond Just Cooking Meals

Here at Saber Healthcare, our dietary teams focus on helping our residents meet their needs. Our teams work to make menus that fit our residents’ preferences as well as meet all of the daily recommended nutritional requirements.

“We never want to feel like we’re serving food to people we don’t know. We always talk with the residents and try to send them what they wanted to be cooked on their tickets. We want to know who is behind the message, so that way no matter who’s working, we know what they prefer to eat. I am fortunate my team puts the residents first, and I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else,” McBride said.

Saber Healthcare is an organization that provides services to more than 115 buildings across the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, Delaware, and Florida. To learn more about our company and services, click here.

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.