Effect of Involving Community-dwelling Older Adults in Activities in Relation to Meals

A Cluster Randomised Feasibility Trial Evaluating Involving Community-dwelling Older Adults in Activities in Relation to Meals in a Rehabilitation Program; Recruitment, Data Collection and Protocol

Community-dwelling older adults receiving support at home such as meals-on-wheels may lose the ability to preserve social, cognitive, and functional abilities, when becoming accustomed to and dependent of community aged care. When still able to cook older adults often hold some control over the foods that are prepared and which they eat, and which helps to foster identity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate community-dwelling older adults being involved in activities in relation to meals in a rehabilitation program.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Community dwelling older people (64+ years)
• Able to eat and drink
• Receive meals-on-wheels from the municipality at the time of recruitment
• Live in the city of Odense

Exclusion Criteria:

• Moderate-severe dementia as judged by the home -care staff
• Being deaf and/or not understand the language of Danish.
• Not being able to sign the informed consent
• Receiving (or likely to receive in the next 6 months) enteral tube feeding or parenteral nutrition;
• Participating in other project in the municipality about nutritional support in the form of dietetic advice;
• Or on an end-of-life care pathway