Hospital's meal deal a hit with seniors




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Hospital's meal deal a hit with seniors

By Bridget Botelho

Fitchburg Sentinel, July 23, 2003

SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE / ROBERTO SANTIAGO, Joe Girouard of Leominster says he regularly buys meals through the Early Bird program at HealthAlliance Hospital/Leominster.

LEOMINSTER - Eighty-one-year-old Joe Girouard goes to HealthAlliance Hospital/Leominster nearly every day -- not for medical care, but for the food.

In fact, the spunky Leominster man said the meal deal he gets at the hospital cafeteria is "like a broken drum; you can't beat it."

At the start of this month the hospital expanded its services from medical care to include restaurateur. Its new "Early Bird" dinner program offers area senior citizens a 24 percent discount on anything in the cafeteria.

"I just point to whatever I want to eat and they serve it to me," Girouard said, pointing to the spaghetti and meatballs he was about to eat at the cafeteria on Monday.

Does the food taste good?

"Indubitably," Girouard said without hesitation. "It's the best deal in town."

HealthAlliance Nutrition Director Joanne MacNeill said HealthAlliance started the program to increase hospital revenue as well as provide healthy, balanced meals to area senior citizens.

"Many seniors have trouble balancing their diets, or don't get to eat the wide variety of foods we offer," MacNeill said. "This also gives them an opportunity to get out if they are usually isolated and socialize."

The program runs from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

"They come in almost every day because the food is good, it's cheap, and they don't have to leave a tip," said MacNeill. "Someone can get an entire meal for $4 or $5."

Just about every week, the cafeteria features a different food theme, such as Caribbean Day or Italian Food Day, or the upcoming Specialty Salad Week.

"We try to offer a variety of cultural foods to cater to different types of people," MacNeill said.

Cafeteria operators are also planning days where the food options will mimic styles of popular food chains.

This month, the cafeteria provided meals such as chicken broccoli and ziti, grilled salmon, spaghetti and meatballs, quiche, various types of soups, desserts and beverages.