The meal situation in geriatric care — intentions and experiences

Abstract

Meals in geriatric institutions are often served in a dining room. The elderly patients--endowed with their socialized table manners and diet habits--who enter this milieu are affected by diseases and handicaps, reducing their ability to eat. In the present study individual patients' meals in geriatric care institutions were studied with respect both to nursing staffs' intentions and assessments of patients, as well as to those patients' experiences and the amount of influence they expected to have. The research approach was ethnographic. Eighteen newly admitted, mentally orientated patients and their primary enrolled nurses were allocated. The results indicated that the idea of both the nurses and the elderly patients was to reach a meal situation that was as natural and independent as possible. Compared with the elderly patients, the nursing staff had broader standards for acceptable table manners, and carried out collective dining of all 18. The elderly patients strove to behave in accordance with their standards and suffered because of their own limited eating competence and the experience of other patients' problems. The elderly patients avoided expressing their needs, and some enrolled nurses thought they were prying if they asked questions about such issues. These different, culturally dependent, perceptions resulted in care that was not congruent with the needs of the elderly patients.

The Experiences of Elderly People Living at Home Related to Their Receiving Meals Distributed by a Municipality in Sweden

“…This gratitude could have its roots in their experiences of the years of hardship and economic depression between the world wars and might be the reason why many elderly believe that food is a gift from God, that it should not be wasted, and that food is something to be grateful for (Meinow, Kåreholt, & Lagergren, 2005). Family morality had instilled into them the norm of being grateful for the food they received, and it was not acceptable for them to say that they did not like some types of food (Sidenvall, Fjellstrom, & Ek, 1994). Viewed from a social constructivist perspective, the elderly people who participated in this study created and formed social collective actions in their interactive exchange with others.…”

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

“…Parkinson´s disease (Andersson & Sidenvall, 2001). In geriatric care settings, studies show that elderly people varied in acceptance of their limitations with regard to eating difficulties but that they all described using strategies to minimise conspicuousness and maintain dignity (Sidenvall & Fjellstrom, 1994;Sidenvall, Fjellström, & Ek, 1996). Not many Scandinavian studies focus on how the food choices of home-living elderly people are influenced by motoric eating difficulties.…”

The meaning of assisted feeding for people living with spinal cord injury: a phenomenological study

“…The inability of patients with head and neck cancer to eat in a normal way has been found to cause feelings of abnormality and not being able to recognize oneself (Larsson et al 2003). Independence during meals is seen as ideal, and assisted feeding is postponed for as long as possible (Sidenvall & Ek 1993, Sidenvall et al 1994, Jacobsson et al 1996. When people who suffer stroke lose their meal-related autonomy it may threaten their hope for the future, whereas hope returns when meals become easier (Jacobsson et al 2000).…”

“…Eating difficulties also have consequences for people's social lives. Residents in nursing homes have been found to be reluctant to eat in communal dining rooms if they cannot reach their own standards of eating behaviour at the table (Sidenvall et al 1994). Because of the changed appearance when eating, people may also isolate themselves at mealtimes (Jacobsson et al 2000, Larsson et al 2003.…”