Factors Affecting Food-Intake of Free-Living Seniors : Qualitative research on community-dwelling senior women at-risk of malnutrition

ISBN-13: 9783639119220 / Angielski / Miękka / 2009 / 104 str.

Winnie Cheung

Opis

Many community-dwelling seniors are reported to haveinadequate dietary intakes. Factors affecting foodintake have been studied mainly from the perspectivesof health professionals. As the reasons for adequatefood intake are complex, understanding the seniors perspective could provide further help inunderstanding their needs. Three semi-structured interviews were conducted witheach of eight community-dwelling women aged 73 to 91who were at-risk of malnutrition. A qualitativeanalysis showed the women were reporting threeessential aspects: struggling to maintain theirindependence (i.e., frustration with health care,stereotyping seniors, simplifying cooking); learningnew ways of functioning (i.e., adapting to healthlimitations, simplifying meals etc) and; takingcontrol (i.e., planning own meal and food supplies,monitoring health and keeping physically and mentallyactive). Finally, this qualitative research paradigmwas useful and it demonstrated how careful listeningcould help to understand the individual needs offree-living seniors at risk of malnutrition.

O autorze

Winnie Cheung, BSc(Dietetics),MSc(Nutrition): studied human
nutrition and dietetics at McGill University (Canada). Registered
dietitian who worked in field of clinical nutrition with patients
ranging from newborns to the elderly. Associate Professor in the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition at McGill University. Her research examines health in relation to nutrition in vulnerable populations in Canada.