Nutrition Education and Promotion
 Display posters and pamphlets in visitation rooms to promote nutrition
and wellness to family members
 Develop a fact sheet to accurately read food labels
 Decorate bulletin boards each month with various topics of nutrition
and wellness
 Provide a tasting party to all residents to introduce new foods,
especially fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat dairy products
 Create a monthly nutrition and health newsletter to inform residents
and staff how to improve their health
 Provide an area for a vegetable garden for residents and staff to plant
and maintain
 Offer “healthy meals” cooking classes for residents
 Offer computer time to explore MyPlate website and other nutrition
education websites
 Post nutrition messages in the cafeteria or in other areas of the
facility
 Offer ‘Healthy Eating” class to all residents and staff
 Sponsor a “Health Fair Day” where residents and staff can learn
about healthy lifestyle behaviors
 Post nutrition facts on each food item served in the cafeteria
 Provide a local guest speaker to discuss various nutrition topics
 Create a positive, pleasant dining experience in the cafeteria
 Offer nutrition education resources such as books, CD’s, websites,
handouts, etc for residents
Physical Activity
 Offer 1 hour of various physical activities at least 4 times per
week (basketball, walking, swimming, softball, volleyball, etc)
 Offer Fit for Life program twice a week
 Create a tracking record for residents and staff to record daily
physical activities
 Organize sports teams for residents and staff to compete
 Develop a walking path in-doors for residents and staff to walk
with a mileage marker
 Purchase some type of game that promotes physical activity
game to increase participation (Dance, Dance Revolution)
 Provide extra points to purchase necessary items for those
residents achieving 60 minutes or more a day of physical
activity
 Write grants to obtain newer and more useful equipment to
promote physical activity (tread mills, rowing machines, etc)
 Provide various dance classes with certified instructors for
residents and staff
 Offer a Zumba class for residents and staff
 Provide weekly classes on the benefits of physical activity
 Offer residents physical activity opportunities as a reward for
good behavior
 Require physical activity as a part of the daily schedule of all
residents
 Sponsor a health night with local exercise physiologists to
determine the fitness rate of interested residents and staff
 Develop a training program to increase the fitness rate of all
residents and staff
 Create an environment that is safe for all residents and staff to
participate in all physical activities offered
Nutrition Guidelines for All Foods and Beverages Available
 Offer only whole grains at all meals
 Offer only low-fat and non-fat dairy products for all meals, snacks and
vending or site stores
 Offer more fresh fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria and throughout
the facility
 Prepare more meals from scratch
 Reduce the number of processed foods offered each week
 Review and modify all recipes to reduce fat, sodium and sugar
 Increase the number of fruits and vegetables offered each week
especially fresh items
 Purchase pre-packaged fresh fruits and vegetables to sell in site
store
 Review all food and beverage items offered outside the child nutrition
program in site stores, vending machines, etc
 Develop a health council to review and recommend improvements in
foods and beverages offered to residents and staff
 Procure healthier food items for snacks and child nutrition programs
 Have all staff model healthy eating habits
 Recognize positively those residents and staff that are making
healthier choices
 Ensure adequate food safety practices are in place for all food
service staff and kitchen workers from delivery, storage, preparation,
holding, food service and clean-up
 Provide a class on food safety to all residents and staff
 Provide adequate time for all residents to eat their meals without
interruptions
Other Site Based Activities to Promote Resident
Wellness
 Ensure foods and beverages are not used as rewards to good
behavior
 Provide a class on proper hand washing
 Provide hand washing facilities for all residents and staff prior to meal
service
 Survey residents for wellness topics to be addressed at the site
 Collaborate with community agencies to provide discussion groups
on various health and wellness topics
 Have residents and staff create health promotion materials to be
placed in the community and at the site (flyers on nutrition, physical
activity)
 Have interested residents and staff research the various types of
vegetable gardens and the nutrients available in certain vegetables
and use this as a tool to plan the site’s vegetable garden
 Have selected residents taste test various new recipes for use in the
child nutrition program
 Develop a class on food labeling and have residents determine the
nutrient content in a variety of food products and how these nutrients
affect health (study of fat content in foods in relationship to a healthy
heart)
 Create a list of heart healthy snack items for resident use
 Create a bulletin board discussing the benefits of water versus sports
drinks
 Offer a variety of reading materials or resources on health and
wellness