Food Workshops, Nutrition Education, and Older Adults

Abstract

Three years of process evaluation data are presented for Evergreen ActionNutrition food workshops conducted at an older adults' recreation center. Over a three-year period, 475 written evaluations of single and three-session series workshops were completed. Additionally, data were collected from four focus groups of older adult participants (n = 19). Older persons report intention to change behavior based on attendance at a single workshop. Series workshop participants report increased knowledge, confidence in cooking, and motivation to make changes. Focus group participants identified the following as key aspects to success and empowerment of behavior change: relevant information, specifically in the form of recipes; interactive format, including taste-testing; social experience; consistent, high-quality education; and small size of the group. Food workshops or demonstrations can be meaningful nutrition education activities for older adults.

Nutrition-Related Practices and Attitudes of Kansas Skipped-Generation(s) Caregivers and Their Grandchildren

“…Making more healthful food choices was explicitly related to the presence of the children, at least in some households. One of the largest barriers to eating a nutritious diet for older adults is not having social contact [33], but this problem would not apply to caregivers in skipped-generation(s) households. Our findings of improved nutrition attitudes and practices might not be entirely related to the presence of grandchildren, however, because previous research has shown that older adults tend to make different food choices as they age [34], including consuming higher amounts of fruits and vegetables than their younger counterparts [33].…”

A Social Ecological Perspective of the Influential Factors for Food Access Described by Low-Income Seniors

“…Seniors recommended that cooking classes and collective kitchens could improve food access by providing education on food purchasing and cooking small portions for seniors with specific health conditions. 42 In addition to the expansion of our understanding of the environmental sphere on food access and potentially food security, the identification of the interdependence or interplay of factors in this study is noteworthy. Factors within and among spheres interact to influence food access by seniors.…”

Promoting food intake in older adults living in the community: a review

“…Screening programs that attempt to find at-risk older adults and direct them to community services can lead to cost-effective health promotion for older adults (Callen and Wells 2003). Those who are ageing at usual or successful rates tend to be receptive to nutrition education and can benefit from these initiatives (DeWolfe and Millan 2003;Keller et al 2004aKeller et al , 2005b.…”

“…Process evaluation data found that two-thirds of the seniors' centre members had participated in the program over a 3-year period (Keller et al 2006b) and fruit and vegetable intake improved during this time frame. Food workshops increased confidence, pleasure, and interest in trying new foods and recipes (Keller et al 2005b). Men's cooking group participants identified that they had learned new skills, had increased their knowledge of food and cooking methods, and were more confident and willing to try new foods and recipes (Keller et al 2004a).…”

“…Men's cooking group participants identified that they had learned new skills, had increased their knowledge of food and cooking methods, and were more confident and willing to try new foods and recipes (Keller et al 2004a). Components of success included: relevant information, interactive format, social experience, consistent high-quality education, and small group size (Keller et al 2005b). Although most of the nutrition promotion that occurs in the community is at the tertiary level of meal programs, supplementation, and high-risk counseling, secondary prevention through nutrition education programs may benefit the health and quality of life of older adults.…”