Senior Living Dining Design Ideas for Safety & Comfort

Senior living facilities are ever-evolving, thanks to its diverse residents, knowledgeable staff and modern advancements. One such aspect that’s always changing in senior living facilities is the dining space. These are vital for senior living as they foster a strong sense of community, offer residents a comfortable environment and are accessible for all to enjoy. Because of how important they are, designing these spaces is just as crucial, as many factors need to be considered to ensure the space is properly utilized and safe for residents.

Here are some of the many ideas to consider when designing a senior living dining space.

NOTE: This article includes measures and designs to meet new guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please consult the CDC for the latest health as well as federal, state and local entities for full guidance.

Choose the Right Interior Design Aesthetic

With an ever-growing population of diverse senior residents, it’s important to incorporate elements in the dining room(s) that are both contemporary and comforting. This should especially be considered for everything concerning the aesthetics of each dining area—from paint to furniture to decor. Think of cheerful breakfast nooks or more modern sit-down restaurants, and how the interior design is utilized in such spaces. More than likely, they’ll incorporate timeless color schemes and light theming without it becoming too ostentatious. These types of interior designs will fit in with a broad range of tastes while feeling comfortable for your residents.

Layout & Various Dining Spaces

Senior living facilities are meant to foster a sense of community and freedom, which should be reflected in the layout of any dining areas.

For starters, seating arrangements should be spaced out to allow for residents who require mobility aids to easily navigate the area. This also lets residents dine safely while also social distancing from others. Additionally, offering a variety of seating arrangements—from bar top seating to casual cafe-style armchairs—gives residents options, and makes the senior dining experience more modern.

Another option is to offer your residents smaller, spaced out dining areas, which still foster that communal atmosphere. In a webinar co-hosted by Parts Town and the Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF), Mary Cooley, who is the Director of Dining Services at Pennswood Village located in Pennsylvania, spoke on the myriad of ways that residents could dine while social distancing. “We’re looking at creating little nooks and eating areas where maybe 2 or 3 people could gather from a design standpoint and utilizing some other community space to accomplish that.” With this option, multiple communal spaces can be utilized as dining areas for residents, especially at varying hours of the day.  Cooley also emphasizes the use of outdoor/patio seating as a way to open up seating options and allow for safer dining.

Finally, it’s important to incorporate foot traffic flow in the layout of these dining areas, as Cooley mentions, to maximize the space better, and as an added safety precaution for social distancing efforts.

Furniture & Seating

One of the most important aspects of the senior living dining experience is the choice of furniture and seating. While the furniture’s design should match the aesthetic of the dining room, it also needs to allow for accessibility, comfort and can be easily cared for.

Furniture must be sturdy with soft or rounded edges and, if possible, can be adjusted for added comfort for the resident. Additionally, opt for larger tables, which lets residents have more personal space if they’re seated with one or more guests, especially if they require mobility aids like wheelchairs.

For seating and chairs, they must be easily accessible and secure for the resident to sit in. For example: if you offer bar top seating, the seats shouldn’t be traditional bar stools, as those can be difficult to sit on due to their elevated height. Instead, opt for seats that are similar in style but are lower in stature.

Make Part of the Dining Experience Mobile

In the same webinar co-hosted by Parts Town and AHF, Mary Cooley suggests that one method for easier dining is to utilize wheeled carts and mobile equipment. “If you can get it on wheels, get it on wheels.” Cooley suggests, as this not only makes serving food easier for staff, but allows for greater accessibility to provide meals to residents, both in the dining room and the facility’s commercial kitchen. Cooley even mentions how you can emulate a food truck dining experience for residents who are eating outside with wheeled food carts, and serve simple meals from hot/cold cases.

Offer a Variety of In-Room Dining Options

With food trends constantly evolving, senior living facilities are also positively affected by these modern advancements. Not only that, but they provide residents with more options for when and where they wish to eat.

These options include:

• Doorstep food delivery


• Grab-and-go meals with a convenience store style of shopping


• Food pick-up lockers


• Kiosk ordering

With these additional dining options, residents have the freedom to choose whether they wish to dine in their own room—especially if they’re high-risk—while also offering them a variety of tailor-made food options and limited contact with staff when necessary. These options can also reduce the need for self-service stations while optimizing cleanliness and sanitation.

Additional Resources

For additional information relating to COVID-19 and your establishment, refer to:

• Impact on the Healthcare Foodservice Industry whitepaper by AHF