Dr. Josh Josephson, a former research optometrist, is president of Josephson Opticians and the owner of The Cookbook Store. He is also a director of No No, Inc., a biotechnology company with a drug in clinical trials that prevents the complications of stroke. He is a member of the Chevaliers du Tastevin, the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs and the International Wine and Food Society.
(www.cook-book.com | www.josephson.ca)
You have a drawer full of different kinds of vinegar. Do you use it in part for its health benefits, and what other foods would you recommend for older adults who want to stay vital and healthy?
I use the different vinegars for flavouring and accenting the tastes of certain foods. Vinegars used as condiments or flavouring probably have little health benefits. One would have to take in a much larger quantity for the vinegar to have any potential benefit. Just another point, as one ages beyond 65, stronger accents in flavour are often necessary to produce an appreciative response in the elderly. Further, although a much smaller salt intake becomes important to the elderly, vinegar is one of the substitute condiments that can bring out the flavours of food in interesting ways, but it is necessary to employ many different types to do this effectively.
What should retirement communities do to satisfy the more sophisticated palates of their future boomer residents?
Pleasing the more sophisticated palates of future residents who have travelled involves adding such interests as varying types of ethnic cuisines, executed well (i.e., it is not enough just to make pasta!). For that, the chef of the residence must bring some worldliness to his position. Further, the human resources personnel responsible for hiring for staff positions in the kitchen will require more discriminating and worldly palates to match some of their seniors’ palates.
How important do you think the enjoyment of wine will be for future residents given that many older adults can’t handle its acidity or it interferes with their medications? Is there an alternative?
Regarding wine, many good wines are not necessarily acidic and a good wine consultant would be very helpful in establishing a good but simple cellar for a residence. For those who would have a conflict with their medication, unsweetened fruit juices, particularly fresh juices produced by juicers, if properly selected to match the food, might be a very healthful alternative. Further, these juices could be easily gasified with some of the new equipment, if that element is interesting for the food or the diner.
What is the most important thing that retirement residences can do to improve the dining experience for their residents?
Introduce the element of surprise to the meals. Colour in presentation and some talent in arranging the composition of the plates would be very beneficial for those who see reasonably well. For those who don’t see well, the complex aromas of good foods prepared well that have a range of flavours on the plate would add excitement to the dining experience. Using properly raised local farm or greenhouse products that have more intense flavours than commercial fruits and vegetables would be a big help.
What advice do you have for retirement residence executives as they plan their food service operations for the next
five years?
In planning food service operations for the future, it would be very important to keep all of the above points in mind. To accomplish this, bringing in a food service consultant to add to what is available to the residences would be a big help. Management should start this process now, by, for example, hiring accomplished chefs as consultants, bringing them up to speed on the sensibilities and restrictions of the elderly and introducing them to how the elderly experience food in the different categories of age, such as 70 to 80 and 80 to 90, etc. The need to understand the nutritional requirements of the elderly, how differently they absorb nutrients and the need for their bodies to have the four kinds of roughage supplied in intelligent and pleasant ways that don’t take away from the pleasure of the food experience, will become paramount. Having a few accomplished chefs as consultants, brought up to speed and who bring a passion of interest in helping the elderly, will save organizations a lot by helping resident chefs who may not be as accomplished and worldly achieve wonderful, pleasing meals without the organization hiring a full-time
top chef.
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[...] Expert Q&A | Josh JosephsonAug 22, 2011 … Dr. Josh Josephson, a former research optometrist, is president of Josephson Opticians and the owner of The Cookbook Store. He is also a … [...]