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Food Security in Older Adults: Community Service Provider Perceptions of Their Roles*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Heather H. Keller ,
John J.M. Dwyer ,
Vicki Edwards ,
Christine Senson  and
H. Gayle Edward
Heather H. Keller*
Affiliation:
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph
John J.M. Dwyer
Affiliation:
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph Hamilton Public Health Services
Vicki Edwards
Affiliation:
Hamilton Public Health Services
Christine Senson
Affiliation:
Hamilton Public Health Services
H. Gayle Edward
Affiliation:
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph
*
Requests for offprints should be sent to: / Les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à : Dr. Heather H. Keller, Department of Family Relations and Applied Human Nutrition, Macdonald Institute, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1. (hkeller@uoguelph.ca)
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Abstract

Food insecurity in older adults is influenced by financial constraints, functional disability, and isolation. Twenty-eight social- and community-service providers participated in four focus groups to report (a) perceptions and experiences with food insecurity in their older clients, (b) beliefs about their potential role(s) in promoting food security, and (c) opinions about constraints that influenced these roles. A constant comparison analysis identified key themes. The formal caregivers reported six roles for improving food security: (a) monitoring, (b) coordination, and (c) promoting services, (d) education, (e) advocacy, and (f) providing a social environment. The final theme summarizes these roles as “the need for personalization of service”. Social and community service providers are involved in roles that can promote the health of older adults by addressing their food insecurity. Social service providers need to be acknowledged and supported in this health promotion role.

Résumé

L'insécurité alimentaire chez les adultes plus âgés est influencée par les contraintes financières, l'incapacité fonctionnelle, et l'isolation. Vingt-huit fournisseurs de services sociaux et communautaires ont participé à quatre groupes de discussion ayant porté sur: a) les perceptions et les expériences en matière d'insécurité alimentaire chez leurs clients plus âgés; b) leur perception quant à leur rôle visant à promouvoir la sécurité alimentaire; et c) leur opinion quant aux contraintes ayant eu une influence sur ces rôles. Une analyse par comparaison continue a permis d'identifier les principaux thèmes. Les fournisseurs de soins formels ont fait état de six rôles visant à améliorer la sécurité alimentaire: a) surveillance, b) coordination et c) promotion des services, d) éducation, e) défense des intérêts, et f) fourniture d'un environnement social. Le thème final résume ces rôles comme « le besoin de personnaliser les services ». Les fournisseurs de services sociaux et communautaires jouent un rôle qui peut promouvoir la santé des adultes plus âgés par le truchement de leur insécurité alimentaire. Les fournisseurs de services sociaux doivent être reconnus et soutenus dans leur rôle de promoteurs de la santé.

Keywords

agingfood insecurityolder adultsservice providersvieillissementinsécurité alimentaireadultes plus âgésfournisseurs de services
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 26 , Issue 4 , Winter/Hiver 2007 , pp. 317 - 328
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2007

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Footnotes

*

This study was funded by the Hamilton Public Health and Community Services.

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