Joint Project Co-ordinator, University of Surrey, UK

Meeting the challenges set by the research findings

"The UK dissemination event was attended by a wide range of people with an interest in food for older people. People from the industry - who manufacture food … sell food … provide services to older people, whether in day centres, meals on wheels or frozen meal services. They all came to discuss with us the relevance of the findings we found here in the UK. We also invited …. other organisations who represent older people themselves who can help us think about how best we can take forward the results.

At the workshop, we organised discussions around four different topics - the role of shopping for older people, what experiences they have; the role of meals - how important are meals to older people; another session was organised around what kind of food they buy and how they go about preparing them. The final session was around services that are there for older people - how do they experience them and how do the service providers experience providing these types of services to older people.

Out of the Food in Later Life research came some key challenges …. we put [these] to the audience to discuss how we as a group can think about how to provide better services for older people. The discussions were around - 'who should take ownership of some of these issues', 'who can do something about them' 'who can make sure the needs of older people are going to be met?'

Food is so important for older people … we need to find ways to ensure that whoever can be doing something to make things better [so older] people can have the food they want, when they want , how they want and that they can eat it in a setting that they want …. that should become an easy choice - so, there's an important role to play.

Our dissemination event has provided food for thought for our stakeholders.

It's important for our stakeholders to stop and think …to think critically about the foods they are providing to older people, about the services they are providing for older people and the circumstances they are creating in which people can eat the foods that they want in the way that they want.

Having the food you want is really important - food is a very important part of life. If you can enjoy your food you can enjoy your life a lot better and have a much more fulfilled life."

Biography
Monique is a Registered Public Health Nutritionist, and co-director of the University of Surrey's Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre.
She previously worked at the Institute of Food Research, Health Education Authority and University of Oxford. Her research has focused on risk perceptions associated with food; food choice; and the effectiveness of health interventions; development and validation of food intake measures. Since her arrival at the University of Surrey in 2000, Monique has played a central role in securing research funding for both national and European projects.
Monique is also one of the founding members and current secretary of the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.