I am a resident of long term care in Stettler.
In response to Laura Tkach, director nutrition and Food Services, AHS comments about the food in small hospitals and long term care, Laura didn’t talk to residents and patients who remember what good food tastes and smells like.
AHS may have spent some time coming up with what they think is good nutrition — but try eating the food.
I defy her to come and eat the food for 21 days like we have to. Moreover I have never heard of anyone nor do I know anyone who has been asked about the food in the survey conducted by AHS.
One lady who comes in to help her dad every day finds the food appalling. Her dad says, “I don’t like this food.” She goes out and gets him a hamburger or hot dog.
When a hamburger or hot dog tastes better the food we are served that should say something about the food.
Breakfast is not too bad, its hard to make toast and porridge taste bad. But the hard boiled eggs are shipped in already peeled — never a fresh cooked boiled egg. The scrambled egg is poured out of a container cooked and served, never nice fresh scrambled eggs.
The residents would like more meat and potatoes. The potatoes are flakes poured out of a bag with water added. We would like nice mashed potatoes.
The meat is not tender and is never rare or medium rare — it is well, well done and very dry.
There is never seven servings of fresh fruits and vegetable per day as indicated by the survey. We get one serving of fruit a day, some fresh but mostly canned pears or peaches.
The turkey is some kind of cured meat that is almost like ham, with a salty taste. Fish is very thinly sliced with as much batter on both sides as there is fish. Not even appealing. Pork chops again, very dry, heavily battered piece of meat with no texture or taste. Never a nice juicy pork chop.
The AHS claims where ever possible sites are able to purchase eggs, potatoes and bread from local vendors. Items are also purchased from local grocery stores. Never, never.
The food is trucked in on a daily basis from afar and served to us already prepared.
The food will keep for 90 days once it is prepared. Is this nutrition? It is very dry, no texture or taste. A paste, like gravy is put on to make it more moist
John Gilchrist a food critic with CBC said on a scale of 0 to 10 this food is below “0”. Listen to him.
James Ellwood
Stettler