{"id":9360,"date":"2025-11-07T16:00:25","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T22:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/civitasseniorl.wpenginepowered.com\/the-brooks-of-cibolo\/new-dining-program-feature\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T10:54:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T16:54:54","slug":"new-dining-program-feature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.civitasseniorliving.com\/the-brooks-of-cibolo\/new-dining-program-feature\/","title":{"rendered":"Civitas Senior Living Dining Program Featured in Senior Housing News"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The senior living landscape is changing rapidly. By 2050, approximately 27 million individuals will need<\/a> paid long-term care services like home health, assisted living, or skilled nursing facilities.<\/p>

That’s a massive jump from 8.3 million in 2025. The population aged 85 and over is expected to nearly triple by 2060, and about 70 percent of seniors will need some form<\/a> of long-term care during their lifetime.<\/p>

\"Rewriting
Senior Housing News just featured Civitas Senior Living’s game-changing approach to dining, and we’re celebrating how our reimagined program is setting new standards for what senior living can be.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

These numbers tell us something important: senior living must evolve to meet the expectations of tomorrow’s residents. The days of institutional dining and limited choices are over. Today’s and tomorrow’s seniors expect restaurant-quality food, personalized service, and dining experiences<\/a> that honor their independence.<\/p>

Senior Housing News has recognized this shift, calling it “the senior living customer of tomorrow.” SHN has featured Civitas Senior Living as a leader in this transformation. Our latest recognition<\/a> focuses on what matters most to residents and their families: exceptional dining.<\/p>

Our Feature in Senior Housing News<\/h2>

In October 2025, SHN featured Co-Founder and Chief Program Officer Misti Powell and Vice President of Food and Beverage Taylor Richey in an in-depth article about our completely reimagined dining program<\/a>.<\/p>

The feature highlighted how we scrapped everything we’d previously done and rebuilt our dining program from the ground up. As Powell explained, “We reimagined what it would be like if you were a resident coming into our communities.”<\/p>

Our approach focuses on three key elements: greeting, warmth, and presence.<\/p>

\u201cWe trained our team members not just to serve food, but to create hospitality-forward experiences,\u201d Taylor Richey says. \u201cWe didn’t want to simply copy restaurants. We want to compete with them for top-level staff and food quality.\u201d<\/p>

The results speak for themselves. Since implementing these changes, we’ve achieved the lowest food and beverage turnover across our organization. Our communities now average high occupancy rates. Most importantly, our residents are happier and healthier.<\/p>

As Richey told SHN, “You have to be committed to breaking away from ‘we’ve always done it that way.’ Staying in that mindset keeps you in a comfortable echo chamber, and we weren’t willing to do that.”<\/p>

Our Passionate Dining Program<\/h2>

At Civitas Senior Living, dining is more than nutrition. It’s about connection, choice, and celebrating life’s pleasures.<\/p>

Fresh, Seasonal Menus<\/h3>

Our chefs change menus every 90 days to reflect what’s fresh and in season. Larger communities offer 15 entree options at lunch and dinner. We source ingredients from local farmers, bringing peak-flavor produce straight to our kitchens. When tomatoes are ripest in summer or apples are fresh in fall, our menus reflect these seasonal bounties.<\/p>

Fork & Leaf Build-Your-Own Salad Bar<\/h3>

Select communities now feature Fork & Leaf, our build-your-own salad bar stocked with locally sourced ingredients. Residents create custom salads exactly how they like them, choosing from fresh vegetables, proteins, dressings, and toppings.<\/p>

The Cottage: Picture Menus for Memory Care<\/h3>

Our memory care residents in The Cottage<\/a> deserve exceptional dining, too. We’ve developed picture menus specifically for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Visual menus help residents make choices independently, honoring their dignity while supporting their needs.<\/p>

My Food Program<\/h3>

Our signature My Food<\/a> program puts residents in charge of their dining experience:<\/p>