Renville Health Services, an affiliate of St. Francis Health Services of Morris (SFHS), is pleased to announce the beginning of their Nutrition and Optimal Weight (NOW) Project. Over the next two years, RHS will work collaboratively with related SFHS long term care centers to improve the overall dining experience and the nutritional status of individuals receiving services at RHS. The NOW Project is a result of SFHS’s long term care collaborative being awarded a Minnesota Nursing Facility Performance-based Incentive Payment Program (PIPP) grant by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS).

The goal is to reduce the number of residents experiencing unexplained weight loss, increase resident and family food satisfaction, improve resident’s overall nutritional status, and to allow individuals receiving services to achieve optimal health, functioning, and wellbeing.

The NOW Project will provide RHS with additional resources to make positive system improvements to support good nutritional outcomes for individuals receiving services, focusing on each individual’s preferences and needs. A big component will be implementing the Kind Dining program to improve dining room service. We hope to create an optimal environment in which food can be enjoyed.

Marla Miller, Corporate Grant Coordinator for SFHS, states, “This is an excellent opportunity for RHS to make an impact in the experience each individual receives at mealtimes. We want RHS’s residents to feel special, cared for, and truly enjoy what they eat. We hope mealtimes are something they look forward to each day.”

Implementation of the NOW Project began January 1, 2019 at RHS and will continue through December 31, 2020. SFHS is a faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization. In addition to their skilled nursing care centers, they offer a variety of services that include customized/assisted living, a full range of therapies, senior housing, transitional and skilled nursing care, and behavioral and residential programs throughout the state of Minnesota.