Nutrition Project by/for 65+
In a collaborative and participatory project, the target group will be empowered to independently, effectively, and enjoyably implement a balanced diet and counter the risk of malnutrition.
Factsheet
- Schools involved School of Health Professions
- Institute(s) Nutrition and Dietetics
- Funding organisation Others
- Duration 01.01.2020 - 29.02.2024
- Head of project Dr. Karin Haas
- Project staff Franziska Scheidegger-Balmer
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Partner
Gesundheitsförderung Schweiz
Gesundheitsdepartement Basel-Stadt
Universität Zürich - Keywords participation, elderly people, living alone, balanced diet, nutrition intervention
Situation
A balanced diet supports maintaining autonomy and quality of life in old age and reduces the risk of morbidity. Particularly, single seniors (often socially isolated) are difficult to motivate to participate in nutrition interventions. Interest in the topic of nutrition seems low within the target group (especially among men), and as a result, the necessary skills are often lacking.
Course of action
In this three-year project, the target group, along with other stakeholders, will be part of the project team from the very beginning. Action strategies (recruitment/nutrition measures/evaluation) will be determined collaboratively with the entire project group. Additionally, a focus will be placed on formative process evaluation to make the experiences and insights from this approach accessible to other stakeholders and researchers.
Result
After a one-year participatory development process, the following nutritional intervention was successfully implemented: "E Guete z’Basel" – a cooking and dining group combined with the dissemination of skills and practical tips for adopting a balanced, enjoyable, and cost-effective diet. The cooking and dining sessions were held monthly at two different locations in Basel, and over the course of one year, they were attended 227 times. A total of 27 seniors participated, 13 of whom were living alone. The project successfully raised participants' awareness of nutrition-specific topics, particularly the importance of adequate protein intake in older age. However, according to the participants' self-assessment, this did not result in changes in eating behavior during the project period. In contrast, the quantitative data collected indicate a positive trend, especially concerning protein intake and dietary variety. Furthermore, there was a notable improvement in participants' quality of life, primarily due to increased social participation. Comprehensive process evaluation (intervention development, target group reach, participatory approach, and intervention implementation) enabled the derivation of important learning processes and recommendations for all stakeholders and multipliers.
Looking ahead
The project "Guete z’Basel" will be integrated into the existing cantonal action program of the Health Department of the Canton of Basel-Stadt and continued after completion of the project. Although we were only partially able to achieve our overarching project goal, we have established important key principles. Taking into account the experiences gained from this project (see recommendations for action) and considering the needs of other target groups and stakeholders, effective and sustainable nutrition and health promotion interventions can be developed and implemented participatively for other regions in the future.
