The experiences of older adult members of a combined lunch club and assisted shopping group and the perceived value in their occupational lives: A qualitative study

Abstract

Background and Aims Health and social care policies are increasingly focusing on community interventions for older adults with service providers diversifying services to widen their reach. As a result, new concepts are under‐researched, and it can be challenging to draw parallels with existing interventions. Evidence of the value of community interventions is often limited and conflicting and few researchers have considered the service‐user perspective. This qualitative research explores the experiences of members of a combined lunch club and assisted shopping group based in North‐East England to understand the perceived value in their lives from an occupational perspective. Methods Six older adult members were recruited through convenience sampling to participate in individual semistructured interviews January–March 2020. Interview data was subject to thematic analysis using an inductive approach and three key themes were constructed to represent the data. Results Themes identified were: “Togetherness: promoting social belonging”; “Meaningful engagement for older adults” and “Independence and staying active in later life.” Findings indicated largely positive experiences with themes depicting influences that motivate engagement and perceived benefits. Conclusion Participants particularly valued the opportunity for social engagement, as well as independence through supporting continued engagement with shopping in later life. In conclusion, successful community interventions for older adults need to be meaningful and purposeful.