Pleasure and/or Mundane Burden: Meanings of Food in the Everydayness of Older Adults

Eating is an essential component of quality of life and contributes to the identity of older adults. In older age, many events, transitions and changes occur that affect eating patterns and bring the need for their change.

The pleasure from food comes from two sources. From the pleasure of the taste of the food itself. The second source is its social aspect, the possibility of sharing the food. Food is also used as a means of care. At the same time, preparing food is often seen as a demanding and mundane burden. As something that is no longer achievable when health deterioration comes. Buying food or delivering ready-made lunches is often one of the first activities that a person in need of care delegates to others. This transforms their mealtime routine and challenges their autonomy in their choice of what to eat and when.

To explore these meanings of food in the lives of older adults, I use data from the project Meanings of Food Intake in Old Age (GA23-06348S). Specifically, 23 in-depth interviews about food with home-dwelling older people and a multi-case study from 5 care homes (video recordings in dining rooms, interviews with users, and interviews with staff) in the Czech Republic.

In my presentation, I focus on how these two sources of pleasure in food are enabled, supported and negotiated through the transitions and changes of older age (retirement, widowhood, health limitations, care needs). What meaning do the actors themselves ascribe to food and the changes in food routine? I explore the importance of food in the lives of the ageing and how the pleasure of eating is sought or claimed in changing life contexts.