Distributed by www.elakeside.com

About

Suzanne Quiring is the founder of SuzyQ Menu Concepts, and is a Registered Dietitian in good standing with; Dietitians of Canada, CSNM, Washington State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), ANFP & the College of Dietitians of British Columbia. She has her 2 year Continuing Health Care Administration diploma, and strong supporter of the Eden Care Alternative and Pioneer Network. She volunteers her time as the BC provincial rep for Dietitians of Canada Gerontology Network.

Suzanne Quiring
CDM, RD

Suzanne started SuzyQ Menu Concepts in 1998 after working as the Director of Support Services at a 76 bed Intermediate Care/SCU care facility for several years. The food delivery service at the facility was the same as it had been for over 25 years which is similar to most care facilities – food service staff would plate the meal up inside the kitchen after reading a long likes/dislike list, and the care staff would run back and forth from the servery to deliver the plated food to the resident’s table. Suzanne noticed many limitations regarding limited resident choice and selection, discontented residents, difficulty tracking residents’ likes/dislikes, high staff frustration, high food wastage, rigidity, limited resident contact, poor teamwork, and lots of dining room noise. She thought there had to be a better way!

Working with top end stainless steel manufacturer, she designed the SuzyQ Cart. Suzanne believes this is the best product available on the market to deliver hot meals to seniors in small, compact Long Term Care dining rooms!

Russell Food Equipment (www.russellfood.ca) became the exclusive distributor of the SuzyQ carts for the Canadian market in May 2010. Russell Foods will sell and provide 24/7 parts & service to all SuzyQ carts throughout Canada.

Suzanne continues to stay active working as a Registered Dietitian with seniors in different levels of health care, along with educating and speaking her collegues about the benefits of mobile meal service. Suzanne is very dedicated to help care facilities make the switch to the SuzyQ Cart system as the results are so positive! It is her passion that every care facility’s meal delivery system becomes as “Resident focused” as possible.

Suzanne has been a guest speaker at numerous conferences:

  • Canadian Society of Nutrition Management National conference (2016 & 2009) – Vancouver
  • Dietitians of Canada National conference (2018) – Vancouver
  • International Eden Alternative conference (June 2010) – Denver, CO
  • Alberta Society of Nutrition Management (Nov 2009) – Calgary
  • Gerontology Nutrition Society Fall conference (Nov 2009) – Vancouver
  • Gerontology Nutrition Society Spring conference (2011) – Victoria
  • Ontario Long Term Care Association conference (2011) – Toronto.
  • 8 Canadian provincial conferences (2011) – Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Sask, Winnipeg, Toronto, London, Ottawa, Montreal, Moncton, Halifax
  • Suzanne has spoken at the Pioneer Network, and numerous USA state and Canadian Dietitian/Food Manager conferences since 2012 via webinar classes.

Bio:

Suzanne Quiring is a Registered Dietitian both in Canada and USA. She is a member of Dietitians of Canada, Washington State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), and Dietetics in Health Care Communities (DHCC). She is a Certified Dietary Manager with ANFP, and member of CSNM. Along with having her 2 year Continuing Care Administrator’s diploma, and she volunteers as the BC rep for Dietitians of Canada Gerontology Nutrition network. Suzanne has over 25 years experience in the Health Care Community food service industry as a Director of Food Services, Dietitian, and consultant. Suzanne has personally worked in all areas of Residential Care from Assisted living, skilled nursing care, palliative care, dementia care, brain injury, extended care and acute care - she has an appreciation as to the practical and real challenges of providing great meal service to residents, regardless of care level.

In 2000, Suzanne invented the SuzyQ cart System, which is a movement on an improved way on “how” we typically do meal delivery in our LTC dining rooms, which allows for more resident interaction & choice, hotter food and less food waste resulting in significant dollar savings. To date, she has helped over 800+ communities throughout North America improve the dining experience for Residents.

Suzanne has been published in 10 professional journals and been a speaker at National conferences including 2018 ANFP Regional conferences, 2018 Dietitians of Canada National conference, 2016 DHCC National conference, Pioneer Network, Eden Alternative International conference, and numerous health care conferences. She was awarded the Marie Taylor Award for Excellence in Long Term Care by Dietitians of Canada in 2015.

Suzanne spends her time providing education support to Residential Care communities via webinar classes, conference speaking, & email/phone support to folks that are motivated to make a positive change in their dining room. She loves to share her passion & experience on “how” meal service can be done as resident focused as possible, the culture change that is needed, and is a big supporter of the Eden Alternative and Pioneer Network organizations.

Publications

The SuzyQ cart system has been featured in the following publications:



Canadian Nursing Home Journal - Summer 2012. Page 4-6

Long Term Care Journal - Winter 2011

Food Service and Nutrition - Canadian Society of Nutrition Management (Winter 2011). Page 12 & 13

Food Service and Nutrition - Canadian Society of Nutrition Management News (Fall 2009)

Canadian Nursing Home - June/July 2006, Volume 17, No.2

Food Service and Nutrition Canadian Society of Nutrition Management News Spring 2005, Volume 1, Issue 1.

Dietary Manager July/Aug 2001, Volume 10, Issue 7

Journal of Gerontological Nursing March 1998, Volume 24, No.3

Disclaimer:

SuzyQ carts, are distributed Nationally in the USA by Lakeside, and in Canada by Russell Hendrix.

The SuzyQ Cart

Hundreds of health care communities have choosen the SuzyQ cart system

Testimonies

  • “The numbers are eye opening as well,, with improved control and less waste…we have a savings of $90,000 – for a non-profit society this is a massive savings. The savings paid for the extra staffing to serve the food. My plan for this year is to purchase 3 carts and employ them at another site.”

    Wayne Maki
    Executive Chef & Food Service Administrator, Excel Society

  • “Residents were happier as they had choices. Staff felt more fulfilled being able to offer a more resident focused service. By interacting with the residents every meal, it has allowed them to get to know our residents individually. It has helped foster relationships with the residents in which they talk, laugh or are jus there for each other. It has brought the “humanness” back to a system that was impersonal and task focused. The dining room environment now resembles that of a restaurant and not an institution. The change to a more resident focused food service continues to be an example of how systems can change positively without significant cost increases.”

    Cathy Mesner
    RD – Morgan Place

  • “A testimony from one of our residents is “I think all of us really like the choice we have about what we eat and how much. I like that we are all served at the same time and the food is hot when it is given to us. I always come to the dining room when we have the SuzyQ cart now.”

    Cara Clark
    Cara Clark, RD, Administrator – Cambridge Place

  • “Since we started offering our residents choices, we have noticed a reduction in our food cost and waste, for example a drop in our weekly milk order by four-four liter jugs of milk. Our residents enjoy the interaction they have with the staff at meal times, and some ladies even enjoy flirting with our head cook. These changes have allowed us to focus on the resident and to understand how simple gestures of communication, being verbal and/or body are very important to the resident. We have also created a team that is resident focused and understands how communicating and working together benefits not only our residents but us as a whole.

    Donna Weiss
    Administrative Service Coordinator, Echo Lodge Special Care Home

  • “The patients are really enjoying the New “choice meal service” provided. We only got complaints on our surveys before so getting positive notes from patients is a big improvement. The SuzyQ cart System is working wonderfully, and it is sooo much fun. Can’t believe the patient “happiness”. Thank you.”

    Gail Weleschuk
    Supervisor, Patient Food Services – Tofield Health Centre

  • “The SuzyQ cart System allowed for improved interaction and relationship between the dietary and nursing staff, as they started to work more together at serving our residents the better. Our food and beverage waste has decreased as well, which means we are saving money. Our cooks for the first time are leaving the kitchen and serving residents direct, which has allowed them more understanding of the needs of our residents. The cart moves very easily, and we love it. The table side dining has allowed the staff to spend time before and after with the resident, engaging them in their meal choice and receiving feedback in the moment. As soon as the blessing for the meal and the staff is complete, the lids come off with a flourish and the steam escapes causing excitement as they anticipate the choices to come. Thank you for your passion and investment in our residents satisfaction.”

    Angela Ross-Fehr
    Manager of Dining Experience, Menno Housing Society

    Read more Testimonies

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