Research Project Detail
The mealtime experience for older adults in retirement living
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Heather Keller, University of Guelph
RESEARCH PROGRAM ASSOCIATION: Agri-food for Healthy Aging (A-HA) Initiative
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
There are many processes that occur at mealtime beyond eating itself. For older adults living in a retirement setting, mealtime is different from what these individuals were once accustomed to. As an extension of the initial exploratory study looking at social interaction among tablemates at mealtime, this research team will conduct interviews to find out what the mealtime experience is like for older adults in this setting. Previous observational work by this team found that positive and negative social interactions occur between tablemates and various factors influence interactions such as resident characteristics, health conditions, the social and physical environment, staff, and guests. The primary focus will be to understand the psychosocial aspect of mealtime from conversations with residents.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATION:
Understanding what affects the mealtime experience is relevant to know as it is one of the few consistent times each day for older adults to come together and interact. Interviews are the next step in this study to understand relationships and interactions between tablemates, mealtime roles, and residents' relationship with food. Educational initiatives for health care workers, administrative staff, and residents are hoped to be an outcome of this research.
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