A tender steak in a savory mushroom sauce with potatoes and steamed asparagus, grilled salmon with seasonal vegetables or cheese ravioli with mushrooms and sautéed kale. Those items are just a taste of the delicious meals residents at Waltonwood Lake Boone will enjoy when the senior living community opens its doors this summer. The mastermind behind the delectable dishes is Culinary Services Manager Bryan Minton. The seasoned chef has 15 years of experience in the food industry and is looking forward to elevating residents’ taste buds through his cooking. Minton’s passion for cooking started at a young age, and that’s why he turned it into a career. He loves creating community through food and using the freshest ingredients possible to produce unique dishes. With March being National Nutrition Month, Minton says creating a well-balanced diet is key to staying healthy at any age.

“I’ve always loved food, and the different ways you could put food together really interested me as a kid,” said Minton. “Now I am able to take something I am passionate about and make a difference in the lives of seniors by providing nutritious meals without having to give up taste. The definition of healthy eating does change as you age. Seniors need to make sure they eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients they need. A healthy meal should include: lean protein, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy. Foods need to be high in fiber, low in sodium and should contain Vitamin D since it’s an important mineral to have as we age. I tell people their plate should look like a rainbow. Bright colored foods are always the best choice. Seniors metabolism also changes, so the best thing to do is have small snacks during the day to make sure it stays regulated. Another important thing for seniors is hydration. They need to drink small amounts of fluids consistently throughout the day. These tips will help seniors live better.”

Minton graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and started his journey as a food service supervisor at the college. He moved on to become a chef at a North Carolina restaurant where he first learned the importance of fresh and local ingredients. From there, he went overseas to Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan where he served U.S. troops and saw firsthand how food created a sense of community. He embraced other cultures’ traditions and incorporated them into traditional American dishes. Minton says it was an honor cooking for the troops and making food that helped them connect to home. When he returned from overseas, he landed in Kentucky and took the role as District Chef with Sodexo, a French food services company, and served students at Centre College. He gained an appreciation for local butchers and farmers and ensured all ingredients were homegrown. When he settled down and started a family, he came back to his home state of North Carolina and accepted the position with Waltonwood Lake Boone. While this is his first time serving seniors, he plans to take his experience as a military chef and create meals that spark memories for residents.

“I’ve enjoyed every job I’ve had in the food industry, but I am really excited to serve seniors at Waltonwood Lake Boone,” Minton said. “It feels like I am giving back again, and that’s a great feeling. I want to get to know all the residents and learn their preferences. I will listen to their needs and incorporate their family meals and traditions into our menus. It’s exciting that Waltonwood Lake Boone wants high caliber foods for the residents to enjoy. It shows they care.”

Most of the food served at the community will be from scratch and local. There will be three different menus and an everyday menu with different foods to help satisfy residents’ pallets. One menu is dietitian approved and offers low-sodium, low-carb and low-fat meals. The second is a southern menu, featuring items like chicken, potatoes and meatloaf. Lastly, the community will have a menu that changes monthly and will feature fresh items, including fish, vegetables, chicken, depending on the season. If residents are looking for something different, the community has an Italian-themed bistro, which features sandwiches, salads, fresh pastas and pizza.

“Bryan brings years of experience in the food industry to this new role, and we couldn’t think of a better person to lead our food services department,” said Allison O’Shea, executive director at Waltonwood Lake Boone. “His approach to dining and serving fresh, local ingredients is exactly what we were looking for at the community. We have the residents’ best interests in mind. I know the residents will not only enjoy his food but also enjoy his company.”

Waltonwood Lake Boone is a family-owned senior living community currently under construction in Raleigh, and is expected to open in the spring. It’s situated in an upscale and quiet neighborhood and provides the full continuum of care, which allows future residents to age in place at the community, and that’s exactly what Alta Chalmers, 92, plans to do. Alta built her life in Raleigh and intends to spend her retirement there as well. Now she is trading her single-family home for an independent living apartment at Waltonwood Lake Boone. It’s a trend the Raleigh area is seeing with an increasing senior population. According to Forbes, Raleigh has the second fastest growing senior population in the United States. Alta lives alone, still cooks and drives herself around, but she’s moving to a retirement community to ensure she has access to additional care if she needs it.

“I see quality at Lake Boone, and I currently have quality at my home, and I didn’t want to give that up,” said Alta. “I know this is going to be a change, but I think I will like it. I am actually looking forward to it. My son lives in Raleigh, and when he travels with his wife I don’t want him to worry about my well-being. I am fortunate that I am in good health and can move into an apartment in independent living. I fell in love with the location at Lake Boone. I have been avid gardener, so being around the trees and greenery make it feel more like home to me. I can still maintain my normal routines, and I can use many amenities while living at Lake Boone, including the movie theater, beauty salon, library, walking paths and many others.”

Alta was born in Wilson, N.C., but moved to Raleigh at a young age. She had a wonderful childhood and met her husband in high school. They stayed together while he served in the Navy during World War II, and when he returned home he attended college and the couple got married. They waited until after he finished law school to start a family. He went on to be a successful attorney, and Alta served as the clerk to the board of the Wake County commissioners for 19 years. When they both retired, they traveled extensively until he passed away in 1988. She now enjoys an active lifestyle with family and friends.

“I’ve noticed more and more of my friends moving into retirement communities,” Alta said. “I grew up during the depression and World War II, and the country didn’t really recover from that until the 60s and 70s. Back then, families moved their loved ones into communities, now we are making our own choices. It’s nice to make this decision myself and not lose my sense of independence.”

As part of this trend, Waltonwood Lake Boone is seeing more people moving to the community on their own. Their prime location provides residents the lifestyle they deserve without the worry of home maintenance. The Forever Fit program they offer is a resource for each resident to thrive in their own unique way while allowing them to stay active and motivated.

“Senior living nowadays is not what it used to be,” said Allison O’Shea, executive director at Waltonwood Lake Boone. “We are thrilled to see so many seniors making the decision to live with us and continue living an active lifestyle. We understand they don’t want to lose their sense of independence, and they won’t here. We also have care options that allow seniors to age in place and access assisted living or memory care if they ever need it.”

When it comes to needing care, some seniors rely on family members to find the right community. Even knowing when to move to a senior living community can be challenging. With the start of the new year, Waltonwood Lake Boone offers signs families can watch for to know if a loved one may need additional care. The team recommends seeking assistance if loved one takes medication inconsistently, isolates, has a stack of unpaid bills, leaves belongings in strange places, or experiences a change in mobility, frequent confusion/memory loss, decreased judgment regarding finances, and reoccurring changes in mood/personality.

“It is hard for our senior loved ones to admit they need help or can’t live on their own anymore,” said O’Shea. “The key to talking to your loved ones about their care or a move into a senior living community is honesty. Starting the conversation is the hardest part, but keeping your loved one involved in the process makes for a smooth transition.”

Waltonwood Lake Boone will offer independent living, assisted living and memory care apartments for over 200 residents.