New Cafe Opens At NY Health & Hospitals Coler Hospital On Roosevelt Island - It's "A Welcome Addition" And "The Food Was Excellent, I loved The Interaction With My Peers" Coler Nursing Home Residents Say

The NYC Health & Hospitals Corp  Coler Long Term Care facility has opened a brand new Cafe for their Roosevelt Island residents.

According to the NYC Health & Hospitals Corp:

NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler in partnership with Sodexo today announced the launch of The Coler Café, the most recent addition to the dining and culinary experience available to hundreds of nursing home residents. The collaborative approach of Sodexo’s food service associates and Coler’s team of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists offers a flavorful menu, individually tailored to the dietary needs of each resident. The Coler Café is open two days during the week, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 11:30am – 1:30pm. Coler residents can make reservations through their designated care teams to ensure the appropriate meals meet their dietary parameters.

NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler CEO Stephen Catullo receives a "high-five" from a nursing home resident, celebrating the launch of the new enhanced dining option.

“The Coler Café is an exciting person-centered co-design project led by Sodexo with the active participation of our residents and multiple departments, including Food and Nutrition, Nursing, Therapeutic Recreation, Environmental Services, Engineering and Maintenance, and Administration,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Chief Executive Officer Stephen Catullo. “The overarching goal of the Café is to provide a new and different dining experience to our residents in which they have a greater variety of food choices to be enjoyed in a café-style setting.”

The Coler Café provides a friendly ambiance where residents can enjoy a meal with their neighbors and visiting family members.

Here’s a glimpse at a few menu options at The Coler Café:

• Choice of Tomato or Chicken Noodle Soup
• Roast Beef Panini with French Dipping Broth
• Chicken Quesadilla
• Pressed Grilled Cheese
• Craft Your Own Salad (Protein, Assorted Cheese, Vegetables)
• Fresh Baked Dessert of the Day

The top resident picks from The Coler Café menu were the Roast Beef Panini and Chicken Quesadilla.

“A great experience! Certainly, a welcome addition to Coler,” said President of the Coler Resident Council Francine Benjamin.

“I felt very welcome, the atmosphere was wonderful,” said Coler Resident Bennie Williams. “The food was excellent and I loved the interaction with my peers.”

“We want to thank the Coler team for their dedication and hard work in getting us to this grand opening of the Coler Café,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Assistant Vice President Mercedes Redwood and Senior Director Stephen Castro. “We’re so excited to have this designated area for our residents to offer them additional meal choices directly at the point of service while showcasing different types of food concepts and cuisines.”

“The Coler café is not just for good eating, it’s the experience shared and the memories made when gathered around the table, and a sense of independence for our residents,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Joan Lannaman.

“We are so proud to deliver this innovative dining experience to the residents of Coler. This program has demonstrated our commitment to improving the overall resident dining experience,” said Sodexo Client Executive at NYC Health + Hospitals Post-Acute Care Tracy Dell Italia.

NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler partners with the Sodexo team to create a new dining experience onsite for hundreds of residents to enjoy.

“The food quality is excellent. What a joy to watch our residents socialize with each other and staff while having a delicious meal,” said Judith Berdy, Chair of Coler Auxiliary Board. “I appreciate the dedication and commitment of the staff to make our residents’ dining experience enjoyable.”

During last year's Roosevelt Island Day, Ms Berdy described how you can get involved and volunteer  

 at Coler.