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Older patients' perspectives on mealtimes in hospitals: a scoping review of qualitative studies
Örebro University, School of Hospitality, Culinary Arts & Meal Science.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5913-6146
Department of Food and Meal Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden.
Örebro University, School of Hospitality, Culinary Arts & Meal Science.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9820-9800
Örebro University, School of Hospitality, Culinary Arts & Meal Science.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8848-5812
2021 (English)In: Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, ISSN 0283-9318, E-ISSN 1471-6712, Vol. 35, no 2, p. 390-404Article, review/survey (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The increasing age of populations throughout the world means that healthcare services are faced with new challenges, not least regarding the provision of food during hospital stay. There is a lack of knowledge of how hospital mealtimes are experienced by older patients, and so the aim of this article was to review current knowledge regarding mealtimes in hospitals from the perspectives of older patients. A literature search was performed using seven databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Sociological Abstracts, SweMed+, ASSIA and CINAHL with no limits regarding publication date. The inclusion criteria were peer‐reviewed articles in English or Swedish that used qualitative methods to examine older patients’ (>65 years) mealtime experiences. The Five Aspect Meal Model (FAMM) served as a framework for understanding the complexity behind a mealtime experience. Qualitative content analysis was used as a guide when analysing the material. The search produced 415 studies, 14 of which were included in the review. The findings generated three main themes for understanding how older patients experience mealtimes while in hospital: (1) the food and the food service, (2) mealtime assistance and commensality during mealtimes and (3) the importance of retaining one’s independence. The review also clearly indicated a shortage of studies that solely focus on older patients’ experiences of their mealtime. More research is therefore needed to be fully able to understand the complex task of providing meals in hospitals.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
John Wiley & Sons, 2021. Vol. 35, no 2, p. 390-404
Keywords [en]
Five aspect meal model, hospital, literature review, mealtime experience, older patients, qualitative studies
National Category
Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Research subject
Culinary Arts and Meal Science
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-81608DOI: 10.1111/scs.12866ISI: 000530374600001PubMedID: 32372410Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85085067491OAI: oai:DiVA.org:oru-81608DiVA, id: diva2:1429245
Available from: 2020-05-08 Created: 2020-05-08 Last updated: 2023-06-20Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. The "ity" factor in hospital meals: Performing, experiencing, and understanding hospitality within the hospital frame
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The "ity" factor in hospital meals: Performing, experiencing, and understanding hospitality within the hospital frame
2021 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The overall aim of this thesis was to explore how the notion of hospitality could be used as a perspective to understand the meal provision within a hospital frame. Of interest was how patients (>65 years of age) experience their mealtimes together with perspectives from the ones serving the meals. This is motivated by older adult patients being more affected by malnutrition and having more challenges during mealtimes than other patient groups. Previous research has identified the importance of assistance during mealtimes and the implications that staff can have for patients’ food intakes. However, few studies have been found that focus on older adult patients’ own experiences of meal provision from a qualitative approach, nor studies that have focused on the practical doings by the staff.

The thesis is grounded in an interpretive perspective viewing social reality as constructed and experienced in relation to how one interacts with other subjects as well as objects, by applying the theory of symbolic interactionism together with Goffman’s dramaturgical theory. In addition, the FAMM was used to understand the entirety of the meal experience, and the person-centred care approach to understand the study setting of interest.

The fieldwork was conducted across four wards at two Swedish public hospitals, and interviews were conducted at three of these wards. In total, 20 mealtime observations together with 11 interviews with patients and 20 interviews with staff in different categories were conducted. The wards differed in relation to the dining room environment, the role of the meal host and how the meal service was conducted.

The overall findings reflect these differences by suggesting that the meal provision needs to be understood as a balancing act, where the staff perform in front of the patients in relation to the hospitability provided by the organisational host. The patients experienced hospitality through being acknowledged and recognised together with unexpected moments of hospitality. In turn, the staff were found to be knowing and caring in their performances towards the patients as well as showing professional knowledge when reading between the lines and offering what not always was voiced.

The findings identify a need by the staff to be able to have more time with the patients, having the ability to perform a meal service in a timely manner as well as the ability to navigate within the organisational frames. Demonstrating the need for, as well as the presence of, the “ity” factor in hospital meals.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Örebro: Örebro University, 2021. p. 126
Series
Örebro Studies in Culinary Arts and Meal Science, ISSN 1652-2974 ; 16
Keywords
older patients, hospital, hospitality, mealtime experiences
National Category
Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-93872 (URN)978-91-7529-405-6 (ISBN)
Public defence
2021-10-15, Örebro universitet, Campus USÖ, hörsal C1, Södra Grev Rosengatan 32, Örebro, 13:15 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2021-08-24 Created: 2021-08-24 Last updated: 2021-09-28Bibliographically approved

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Jonsson, Ann-SofieJonsson, Inger M.Öström, Åsa

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