Table 4.
Descriptive Characteristics of Two Dining Areas Assessed by MTS Over All Observed Meals (n = 40)
| Variable | Both Home Areas | Wellesley | Parker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residents in dining room, mean (SD) | 24.3 (2.90) | 22.4 (1.98) | 26.3 (2.27)* |
| Any staff who entered dining room during meal observation, mean (SD) | 6.7 (1.38) | 7.2 (1.42) | 6.3 (1.23) |
| Staff serving fooda, mean (SD) | 2.1 (0.94) | 1.4 (0.51) | 2.8 (0.77)* |
| Staff assisting residents to eata, mean (SD) | 2.6 (0.98) | 3.2 (0.70) | 2.0 (0.82)* |
| Family/Volunteers, mean (SD) | 0.6 (0.89) | 0.4 (0.59) | 1.0 (1.05) |
| % of meals where at least 1 resident eating meal in adjacent area, % (freq.) | 55.0 (22) | 63.6 (14) | 36.4 (8) |
*Difference between home areas is statistically significant, p < 0.001
aStaff involved in meal service included full-time and part-time staff, LPN, and DA
Abbreviations: MTS Mealtime scan, SD Standard Deviation