Home-Living Elderly People's Views on Food and Meals

Abstract

Background. The aim of the study was to describe home-living elderly people's views on the importance of food and meals. Methods. Semistructured interviews with twelve elderly people. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results. Respondents described how their past influenced their present experiences and views on food and meals. Increased reliance on and need of support with food and meals frequently arose in connection with major changes in their life situations. Sudden events meant a breaking point with a transition from independence to dependence and a need for assistance from relatives and/or the community. With the perspective from the past and in the context of dependency, respondents described meals during the day, quality of food, buying, transporting, cooking, and eating food. Conclusions. Meeting the need for optimal nutritional status for older people living at home requires knowledge of individual preferences and habits, from both their earlier and current lives. It is important to pay attention to risk factors that could compromise an individual's ability to independently manage their diet, such as major life events and hospitalisation. Individual needs for self-determination and involvement should be considered in planning and development efforts for elderly people related to food and meals.

Eating Difficulties, Nutrition, Meal Preferences and Experiences Among Elderly A Literature Overview From a Scandinavian Context

“…safe, nutritious and adapted to the individual needs of the elderly. Past experiences of food during childhood and earlier adulthood may impact attitudes concerning food and meals in later life (Edfors & Westergren, 2012). The foundations of norms and values regarding food culture, traditions and eating habits are laid early (Edfors & Westergren, 2012).…”

“…Past experiences of food during childhood and earlier adulthood may impact attitudes concerning food and meals in later life (Edfors & Westergren, 2012). The foundations of norms and values regarding food culture, traditions and eating habits are laid early (Edfors & Westergren, 2012). However, food choice is not static and may change during the course of life so that the eating habits of an individual may not be the same in early adulthood as they are in later life (Mattsson Sydner, 2002;Irz et al, 2014).…”

“…In the study by Edfors and Westergren (2012), elderly people in Sweden described how home-cooked dishes made from locally produced ingredients were a common part of the diet when they were growing up. According to some of the respondents, meals in their early adulthood could typically consist of porridge, wholemeal bread, potatoes, pork, and fresh fish.…”

“…At ceremonies and celebrations, freshly slaughtered meat and more luxurious food might have been offered. Furthermore, the diet was often based on seasonal availability and it was vital to "make do with what the house could offer" and to seize every opportunity to increase the food supply by, for instance, hunting, fishing, and picking berries (Edfors & Westergren, 2012). Today's elderly are often used to cooking for themselves and they appreciate a difference between everyday meals and special occasions.…”

“…Mattsson Sydner and co-workers described that elderly people often have a general preference for food that is easy to digest (Mattsson Sydner, Sidenvall, Fjellström, Raats, & Lumbers, 2007). Further, according to the findings of Edfors and Westergren (2012), foods that contained unfamiliar spices and were too influenced by modern food trends were not appreciated. The elderly requested more varied old-fashioned food, cooked in the traditional way with well-known spices such as salt, pepper, dill, and bay leaves.…”