Senior residing residents of tomorrow aren’t solely fascinated with upscale eating, in addition they need high-quality libations. How operators sling these drinks is shifting with the brand new technology.
For years, a typical senior residing bar program may need revolved round alcoholic cocktails, wine and beer. And in the present day, these drinks are nonetheless widespread picks amongst residents perusing senior residing bar menus. However in the present day’s older adults crave not simply boozy drinks, however drinks comparable to craft cocktails made sans alcohol, Italian sodas and occasional.
To maintain up with residents’ evolving preferences , operators have invested time and assets into revamping their bar packages into award-winning affairs, like what Pacific Retirement Companies did at Mirabella at ASU, its life plan group adjoining to the campus of Arizona State College’s Tempe, Arizona campus.
PRS overhauled a ground-floor restaurant on the group known as Dolce Vita Bistro into an upscale wine venue with a listing of greater than 250 bottles starting from basic wines to trendy varietals. By way of that effort, the operator’s group in Arizona gained Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence in 2024 and 2025.
Not solely does placing in that form of effort support gross sales on the group by wowing prospects, it additionally helps win over their grownup kids, based on Michael Sessler, director of eating providers.
“They acknowledge issues on the wine listing or issues that we’re providing, and it sticks at the back of their head,” Sessler stated throughout a panel on the latest Senior Housing Information DISHED convention in Atlanta.
Senior residing communities awash in new drink preferences
Because the child boomers age and put together to maneuver into senior residing communities, they’re in search of to carry with them preferences for the issues they’ve already loved for years. That features grabbing a drink at a bar with their associates.
When he thinks concerning the incoming technology, Sessler thinks concerning the preferences of his personal mother and father, who’re at present of their 70s. They crave wine at a wide range of worth factors from worth to high-end together with refined cocktails and spirits like scotch and bourbon. Prohibition-era cocktails comparable to French 75s or gin rickeys are additionally all the fashion amongst residents of Phoenix Senior Residing, based on John Baillie, Jr., director of eating.
All of Mirabella at ASU’s eating venues have menus with alcoholic choices out there for buy. Not solely do bartenders sling drinks for residents on the bar, in addition they combine cocktails or present beer and wine to associate with particular occasions contained in the group.
“Alcohol sells itself,” Sessler stated.
However the life plan group additionally gives spirit pairings and tastings and a wine membership. The group additionally sells bottles of wine and beer to residents to take to their rooms. Some residents even join a plan the place they obtain bottles every month, he added.
However in the present day’s residents aren’t in search of booze alone. Additionally they want non-alcoholic drinks starting from juice drinks and Italian sodas to cocktails made with zero-alcohol spirits and alfalfa sprout smoothies. To cater to these preferences at Mirabella, PRS all the time incorporates a crafted non-alcoholic drink on the drink menu together with different drinks like fancy tea, espresso or espresso drinks.
“Individuals have their explicit tastes, and we attempt to cater to as lots of them as potential,” Sessler stated.
Phoenix created a line of no-alcohol drinks for its reminiscence care residents utilizing components that convey the advanced flavors of a posh cocktail, however with out the booze. That features an alcohol-free drink the operator calls the “nojito,” which has caught on with residents and now serves as an additional income supply for the operator.
“It sells most likely 10 to 12, a day, if no more. And it’s refreshing. It’s made contemporary, with contemporary mint,” Baillie stated.
Investing in a bar program for the boomers
The price of opening and sustaining a bar program varies from one group to a different, and with the scope of the providers supplied.
Phoenix Senior Residing expects to pay about $1,000 to safe an preliminary product listing based mostly on what residents need. On high of that, the corporate pays employees to coach by way of meals and alcohol security certification firm ServSafe.
Mirabella can supply its award-winning wine and beverage program at a price of about $150,000 per 12 months when accounting for the price of drinks, acquiring a liquor license, glassware and coaching, representing about 8% or 9% of its complete annual meals prices, Sessler stated.
Mirabella additionally brings in wine representatives to show employees find out how to correctly learn wine labels and focus on totally different sorts of wine. Mirabella additionally pays for some employees to attend sommelier faculty in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Phoenix has discovered success in coaching its resident care assistants (RCAs) fascinated with choosing up further shifts for serving to within the firm’s bar settings, alongside having one location with a full time bartender.
“They’re probably the most pleasurable individuals,” Baillie stated. “It’s a break for them … they’re having a little bit enjoyable with the residents.”
