Exciting changes in Food Service at the new Laguna Honda

Andy Schoenwetter has worked in Food Services at Laguna Honda for 21 years and is excited for the improvements his department will bring to residents when they move in to the new hospital later this year. He and fellow workers have participated in the creation of new service delivery systems and are eager to put their re-training to work.

After nearly 30 years of bedside tray service, the new Laguna Honda will feature dining with a social touch thanks to galley kitchens and household dining rooms in each 60-person Laguna Honda neighborhood. Residents will still have many meal options, including ethnic and vegetarian food, and they’ll be able to eat in an atmosphere that has the sights, sounds and inviting aromas of a restaurant. In addition, food can now be served in courses, helping to ensure that nutrient rich soups, salads and entrees won’t be overlooked by dessert-lovers.

In the new Laguna Honda, food service staff and dietitians will be part of each neighborhood’s care team, along with nurses, physicians, social workers, activity therapists and housekeepers, helping to build rapport and create the personal touches that make a house a home. Paying attention to who likes their salad dressing on the side or prefers the white meat of the chicken is one way that food service staff members help to meet individual needs and preferences at the new Laguna Honda. Multi-lingual workers for non-English speaking residents will also add to personalized care and comfort.

Andy is most excited about the ecological impact of the new facility. With solar panels on his home and a high mpg car, Andy clearly cares about the environment. Every neighborhood galley will have juice dispensers, eliminating the use of non-recyclable plastic and aluminum serving packs which have contributed to the hospital’s 2-tons of weekly garbage. That, along with new composting and recycling systems, will greatly diminish Laguna Honda’s environmental impact. Its commitment to composting is one reason why the new Laguna Honda is the first LEED-certified hospital in California.

In his more than two decades at Laguna Honda, Andy has seen many beloved colleagues and residents come and go. He wishes they’d all had the opportunity to benefit from the new Laguna Honda, and he knows it would make them all proud.