Improving food provision in a Guyanese home for the elderly: a participatory approach

Hewitt, Gillian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7946-4056, Draper, Alizon, Ismail, Suraiya and Patterson, Sybil 2007. Improving food provision in a Guyanese home for the elderly: a participatory approach. Public Health Nutrition 10 (6) , pp. 552-558. 10.1017/S1368980007246804

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Abstract

Objectives To conduct a needs assessment of all aspects of food provision in a residential home and to evaluate a subsequent nutrition intervention. Design An intervention study using a before and after design. A participatory approach was adopted and quantitative and qualitative methods used throughout. The intervention involved a revised menu, kitchen equipment, and establishing wholesale shopping and food donations. Setting A residential home for senior citizens in Guyana. Results Meals at the home were nutritionally inadequate and deeply unpopular with the residents. Intakes of fruits and vegetables were low and the home was heavily reliant on donated soya mince and rice. Meals were served within an eight-hour period to accommodate the staff's hours of work. Cutbacks in the food budget indicated that the financial state of the home explained some of the problems. The intervention was unable to address all problems identified, but led to substantial improvements in the nutritional adequacy of the food provided following the inclusion in the menu of a number of nutrient-dense foods such as chicken liver. The new menu was acceptable to the cooks and largely popular with the residents, although some problems persisted. Conclusions The results show that improvements in the nutrient profile of the diet could be achieved with a flexible, community-based, participatory approach that addressed all elements of a home's food provision system. The changes also proved largely popular with the residents, thus potentially contributing to their quality of life.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer) Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Guyana; Residential homes; Elderly; Diet; Participation
Additional Information:	Pdf uploaded in accordance with publisher's policy at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/1368-9800/ (accessed 07/03/2014).
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
ISSN:	1368-9800
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	15 May 2023 04:58
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/57879

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