Abstract
For groups of elderly who reside in long-term care (LTC) facilities, eating is one of the most important aspects of their daily lives. Inadequate nutrition, which results in increased morbidity and mortality, may be fostered by poor quality diets, as well as issues related to quality of life. Therefore, food service delivery to elderly should be provided in an environment that promotes autonomy, interpersonal relations, and security. We surveyed food service and quality of life issues related to eating in LTC facilities in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan as part of an evaluation of food services. Questionnaires were administered to both residents and administrative staff in LTC facilities. Residents were satisfied with most areas of food service delivery, however, relative dissatisfaction was associated with food variety, quality, taste, appearance, and the posting of menus. Quality of life issues related to eating also were found to be positive, however, issues related to autonomy such as food choice and snack availability were less positive. Administrative surveys examined practices, standards, philosophies, and policies of the LTC facilities. We propose a framework, based on the systems theory, to show how the various components of food services are linked together. This framework considers six components: resources, transformation, outcomes, controlling factors, potential change indicators, and the environment. These components are interactive and are required to produce an effective and efficient food service system, while enhancing the quality of life of LTC residents. This framework can assist health care professionals in understanding how quality of life is affected by food service delivery outcomes in a LTC environment.
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Lengyel, C.O., Zello, G.A., Berenbaum, S.L., Henry, C.J., Whiting, S.J. (2003). A Model for Food Service Delivery and Quality of Life in Long-Term Care Facilities. In: Sirgy, M.J., Rahtz, D., Samli, A.C. (eds) Advances in Quality-of-Life Theory and Research. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 20. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0387-1_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0387-1_1
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