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A high proportion of participants in this study had strong support networks amongst family, friends, neighbours or the wider community. These social networks help maintain good nutrition because support in the procurement and preparation of food is likely to be available when required, making it easier to eat a healthy diet.

For those older people who do not have these social connections and support, recommendations are made to assist food procurement and the preparation and consumption of healthy food.

Food shopping

Easing the burden of food shopping for older people is a priority. In this study over 40 percent of participants did not have access to private transport. These people were reliant on walking, mobility scooters, public transport or other people for their transport needs. Those people who have their own cars need to be encouraged to offer assistance to the many older people without transport in ways which will enhance their nutrition, namely for grocery shopping and

Supermarkets and other food outlets need to understand the difficulties older adults experience when shopping for food. Their needs could be much better catered for. An example of a supermarket which does this is ‘Activ Markt 50+’ in Europe. In this store, where all employees are over 50, design modifications include reduced-glare lighting, slip-proof flooring, reduced-height shelving, wider aisles, larger than usual signage and easier to navigate parking spaces. These and many more design modifications combine to make food shopping for the over 50s an easier and more pleasant experience (Everitt 2004; Ralli 2003; Rizzo 2005).

An individual supermarket can stock between 10,000 and 20,000 items. Supermarket tours designed to highlight foods that will help make quick, easy and nutritious meals could be provided for older people. These could be linked to cooking classes or operate on a stand alone basis. These tours would ideally be undertaken in small groups and at the store where people normally shop. This would enable them to more readily find the items they want at a later date. Being introduced to new foods and products has two potentially significant benefits for older people. Firstly it may help increase the variety of foods in their diet, thus enhancing the overall nutritional quality of the diet. Secondly it may help them find new simpler, quicker meal solutions which means ‘proper’ balanced meals may be prepared and consumed more often.

Cooking classes

In this study over 40 percent of people involved in meal preparation admitted that they sometimes or usually found it a chore. Some older people have been preparing meals virtually every day of their adult life – possibly for more than 60 years – so it’s understandable that new inspiration and encouragement might be required. For others cooking may be a chore because they lack the requisite skills to prepare a range of appetising meals.

It may be helpful to provide cooking classes for older people in the community. This could be an enjoyable social outing where the goal is not only to ‘learn to cook’, prepare and enjoy meals but also to acquire tips and ideas about new foods and quick and easy meal ideas. It would also be an opportunity to share ideas and learn from older people who already have cooking skills. The classes

could incorporate information and discussions about nutrition requirements and about healthy food choices that would meet those needs.

For older people living alone, cooking for onemay be especially problematic as there may not be the same motivation to cook a balanced meal. It is common for people to want to spend less time preparing a meal for one than they would for two or more people. Older men, who often have poorer cooking skills and nutrition knowledge, can be particularly vulnerable to poor nutrition when living alone. Ideas, tips and tricks on quick and healthy meal solutions need to be shared.

Experimenting with new foods can be risky for people living alone or those on a restricted budget. There is the risk of wastage if they are unsure how to prepare the food and they may have to buy a large amount without knowing whether or not they will like it. Being introduced to new foods or products in a class or club environment takes away these risks.

As well as enhancing cooking skills and providing nutrition education these classes need to be enjoyable and provide social engagement. Attendees could be encouraged to get together for shared meals in the future. This would provide motivation to put cooking skills into practice at the same time as contributing the physical, mental and emotional benefits of sharing meals. Age Concern North Shore provides cooking classes for older people, however the number of classes was reduced in 2008 due to a lack of funding. Given the importance of meeting the recommendations for food and nutrition it may be prudent for government resources to be allocated to community organisations as a preventative measure.

Sharing of meals

Shared meals generally enhance nutrition but older people often have fewer opportunities to share meals. Families, friends, neighbours, clubs and

community groups all need to recognise this increasing need and find ways to offer more shared meals to older people, especially those living alone.

Community groups and settings in particular provide an ideal opportunity for meal sharing initiatives to be instigated. While many clubs and community groups do provide opportunities for shared meals, finding ways to increase

these, and to increase access to these by people not currently accessing them, is very important. People currently involved in groups offering shared meals should be encouraged to bring along older friends, family or neighbours who would otherwise be eating alone. Community groups who do not currently offer shared meals are encouraged to evaluate ways this could be initiated.