Leahi Hospital spans sixteen acres nestled atop Kilauea Avenue and overlooking world renowned Diamond Head and Waikiki beach. Here at the Leahi Food and Nutrition Department, we strive to provide the highest quality and optimally nutritious meals and services to meet the needs of the community through our Long term Skilled and Intermediate Care Nursing Home, Acute Long term care Tuberculosis Unit, Adult Day Health Center, and the Hansens Disease residents at Hale Mohalu. At Leahi Hospital our qualified and experienced Food and Nutrition staff, from Cooks to Food Services Managers and licensed Registered Dietitians, work together to fulfill the nutritional requirements and personal requests that we encounter on a day-to-day basis for our residents, participants and tenants. Leahi employs full time dietitians who review each resident’s nutritional status and plan of care regularly, from an admission all the way through to discharge.
The team here at Leahi is committed to enhancing the lives of those who come to rely on the services, especially since many of the residents consider Leahi their home. We practice quality of care each and every day to ensure the nutritional needs are met. Many acknowledge the meals are often prepared and presented with pride by the staff. From the special diets geared toward maintaining optimum health to high end gourmet catering, the department is able to create dishes that residents and families can enjoy and look forward to. The clinical requirements of food preparation are often difficult to monitor and maintain in the community and sometimes overlooked; however, one can feel confident knowing their loved one will be kept safe in a nurturing environment where the nutritional requirements prescribed by their physician will be followed and maintained properly.
As part of our commitment and as a reflection of the care and effort placed on every meal preparation and menu selection, Leahi Hospital continues to provide meals that feature cultural diversity and includes “local” flavors as part of the menu items on a daily basis. The preparation, taste and appearance of the food are comforting for those who grew up in Hawaii, but also varied enough to satisfy national or international tastes. Like many of the “local” traditions in Hawaii, families are encouraged to bring treats or favorite foods to their loved ones as long as it doesn’t conflict with their medical care.