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Abstract: Objectives: There has been no consensus on best practices in food and nutrition services in assisted living facilities for older adults. We documented experts'' views on optimal food and nutrition services emphases in assisted living facilities, and factors affecting their views. Methods: One hundred thirty-five national experts specializing in health, aging, nutrition and assisted living facilities completed a survey consisting four scenarios (ie, home-style, restaurant/hotel, and health/medical, and a combination of these three) in six food and nutrition services areas: dining room environment, meal services, meal quality, nutrition services, employees'' qualifications, and therapeutic nutrition services. Results: Sixty-three percent of experts favored the combination scenario. Dietetics education and experts'' beliefs that assisted living facilities should be health promotion and maintenance facilities were significant predictors of emphases, including wellness considerations. Experts'' personal views exerted a powerful influence. Conclusions: Experts chose food and nutrition service quality indicators that emphasized a focus on both wellness and amenities as their ideal scenarios for optimal food and nutrition services in assisted living facilities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study assessed the views of 153 national experts in nutrition, health, and aging services in assisted-living facilities; including gerontological nutrition (39%), foodservice (14%), aging and disability (22%), geriatric medicine (9%), and assisted living (16%); on the practices that serve as indicators of the quality of food and nutrition services provided in assisted-living facilities and ascertained the most favored style of service delivery: health, amenities, or both. An 88-item Food and Nutrition Care Indicators survey was developed from assisted-living facility regulations in 50 states and other quality indicators of nutrition services. Respondents rated each item on a scale from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important). Results show that at least 80% of experts rated the majority of indicators in each domain as highly important (57% of dining room, 67% of foodservice indicators, 65% of general nutrition, and 70% of therapeutic nutrition indicators). Most experts (89%) rated a combination of indicators that included both health (general and therapeutic) and amenities service styles as being highly important. The 57 items rated most important were consolidated into a checklist. A service model that incorporates all of these elements appears to be most appropriate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]