Watermark Retirement Communities is introducing a new food program called Gourmet Bites Cuisine to help bring the joy of dining back to our aging seniors.

Gourmet Bites is basically meals that are transformed into finger foods that are colorful, tasty and nutritious. Chef Tom Tobin at Legacy at Maiden Park in Greece takes traditional meals, using an innovative grinding technique to turn them into bite-sized portions that seniors can pick up and digest a little easier. 

“For seniors who have problems with their hands or swallowing, this new method here with help in all of that," said Tobin. "It's restoring the dignity and the independence. So they are getting a nutritious meal and eating the exact same thing all the other residents are so it's not like they are feeling left out."

The meals start with a hot towel and sorbet as a way to get seniors ready for their dining experience. A traditional chef salad is made into small bite-sized balls. A dish of chicken french is made into a cupcake-shaped meal. Even the vegetables are cut in a way so they are easier to pick up. Chefs use a crinkle cutter to make them look visually appealing.

It's never easy moving a parent or loved one into a retirement community. Legacy focuses on helping seniors thrive through socializing, recreation, music and dining. Watermark has three retirement communities in the Rochester area; Greece, Penfield and Irondequoit.