Home, hearth and table: a centennial review of the nutritional circumstances of older people living alone

Abstract

Survey evidence on the living conditions of older people has a long and creditable history in Britain. Booth's work alerted policy makers to the often dire circumstances of older people, and accounts of their housing, diet, domestic arrangements and general quality of life stiffened resolve to ensure an adequate minimum standard of living in old age. At the start of what has been termed the welfare state, there were two important studies of old age in the works of Rowntree and Sheldon. In their depiction of the lives of independent elderly people, they provided a useful mid-century benchmark on progress.The question of income and support infrastructure recurs over the decades and, in many ways, these concerns are central to the question of adequate diets with implications for health and wellbeing. The possibility, or otherwise, of being able to afford, buy and prepare food which is of appropriate nutritional and social quality, is fundamental to an independent life in old age. Using food as a focus for review, this article maps what has been said about the circumstances of independent elderly people and what has been done to support them in the community. It is concluded that while considerable progress has been made over the century, their relative position remains problematic. This is especially the case for those living on their own in old age and with a reliance on the basic state pension.

Food‐related health perceptions and food habits among older women

“…In health promotion among older women, in order to promote healthy ageing, it is important to pay attention to those who are living alone, which was also noted by Lyon and Colquhoun (1999) and Wylie et al (1999). Cooking and meals together with family and friends seemed to be highly appreciated.…”

“…However, another problem in the Western world, where women live longer than men, is that widows are at risk for developing poor nutritional status (Winter Falk et al 1996, Quandt et al 2000 as a result of altered food habits, diminished appetite and fewer cooked meals (Rosenbloom & Whittington 1993, Quandt et al 1997. When women become lonely for one reason or another, they are less likely to enjoy their meals and thus run the risk of developing unhealthy eating habits (Lyon & Colquhoun 1999, Wylie et al 1999. Considering this, health promotion for older women needs to be founded on knowledge of the specific health problems of older people.…”

“…1997). When women become lonely for one reason or another, they are less likely to enjoy their meals and thus run the risk of developing unhealthy eating habits (Lyon & Colquhoun 1999, Wylie et al . 1999).…”

Reasons among older Swedish women of not participating in a food survey

“…However, the majority of the oldest households in the Western world consist of women living on their own (Dirren, 1994). Loneliness and bereavement have been found to impair food choices and nutritional intake among women living on their own, whereas women still living with their spouse do not change meal habits (Webb & Copeman, 1996;Lyon & Colquhoun, 1999;Wylie et al, 1999;Sidenvall et al, 2000). In Sweden, municipal home service has been reduced such that it now includes only personal care, and only those judged as severely disabled are offered meals on wheels (Szebehely, 1998).…”

Living alone, social networks in neighbourhoods, and daily fruit and vegetable consumption among middle-aged and older adults in the USA

“…The results suggest that living alone is associated with lower fruit and vegetable consumption, which is consistent with the existing literature (20,22,23,(26)(27)(28) . Previous studies have identified poor physical health and financial constraints, which are prevalent among older adults living alone (27,43) , as barriers to healthy eating which affect access to food, cooking and meal preparation (28,32,(44)(45)(46)(47)(48) . Lack of motivation for cooking and eating due to social isolation, loneliness and depression may be another reason for lower fruit and vegetable consumption among older adults living alone (24,48,49) .…”