Module Descriptions
Our 9 module series is divided into the following 3 sections. Each module runs approximately 60 minutes. Typically we teach one section (3 modules) in a half-day or 4 hour time block. Class size works best with at least 10 participants per session, with a maximum of 16 to stay within time frames.
Foundation of Service
1. Making a House a Home – Creating community.
2. Feel the Change a Comin’ – Respecting the aging process.
3. What You Bring to the Table – How to be successful as a server.
Nuts and Bolts of Service
4. Setting the Meal – Knowing how to be ready to serve.
5. The Symphony of Service – Applying what you know correctly.
6. If I only had a heart – Caring to become better servers.
Maintaining Service:
7. Emotion Control – Dealing with the hard parts of serving.
8. Don’t Touch That – Preventing food borne illness.
9. Polishing Service – Respecting the company that hired us.
Focus/Class size
Our training series contains 9 modules of instruction, each one focuses on a specific dining service topic.
- Modules build on each other, however each can be taught as a single class.
- Each module runs approximately 60 minutes.
- Class size works best with at least 10 participants per session, with a maximum of 16 to stay within time frames.
For more complete module descriptions see below or click on brochure
Module 1
Making a House a Home is all about creating community. It focuses on helping servers understand that they set the ambiance in the dining room at all levels of care. We increase expectations of their behaviors as we transform the dining environment and the role the server plays.
Module 2
Feel the Change a Comin’ sets out to broaden an understanding of the aging process, create deeper relationships and introduce culture change terminology. We discuss the senior marketplace, the growing demographics of seniors and the advantages of learning skills to improve communications with the person in their care.
Module 3
What You Bring to the Table offers even more extended communication training. We ask learners to look in the mirror and discuss their own strengths by way of a self-assessment. We challenge them to learn new skills and behaviors to be successful in their work.
Module 4
Setting the Meal presents the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to ensure that the flow of the meal meets resident’s expectations. Pre-service planning to protect the integrity of the product (meal served) is a critical element that no server is born knowing.
Module 5
The Symphony of Service orchestrates how the server sets the ambiance through their knowledge, skills and serving actions. They learn to appreciate the control they do have to set the atmosphere in how professionally they serve the meal.
Module 6
If I only had a Heart embraces the importance of dining again as a feature element to the success of the community. We teach relational skills. In fun but challenging exercises servers practice the fundamentals of politeness and courtesy. Developing rapport is essential to any excellent hospitality program and is especially important in serving the elderly.
Module 7
Emotion Control addresses two of the areas most requested by the staff: How to deal with complaints (when situations go wrong around the dining setting) and how to manage our own emotions around the loss of a resident we have served.
Module 8
Don’t Touch That! boldly centers on training necessary to understand and prevent food borne illness using principles developed through the ServSafe® program by the National Education Foundation of the National Restaurant Foundation. Through interactive exercises serving staff come to view their role more seriously and professionally.
Module 9
Polishing Service challenges staff to continually look for areas to improve the environment for residents and staff. Skills focus on what to look for and how to communicate to team members so that the environment continues to thrive.