To Örebro University

Meal situations in nursing homes are crucial for residents' identity and quality of life but are often impacted by physical and mental impairments. This ethnographic study conducted in a Danish nursing home aims to explore meal practices as a social practice through eleven interviews with residents and four interviews with healthcare professionals, 100 h of observations, visual methods and thematic analysis. Five meal practices were identified: Convivial-Meal-Practice, Healthy-Meal-Practice, Meal-Practice-as-Before, Hotel-Meal-Practice and Hospitable-MealPractice. These practices diverged and were contradictory despite a common goal. The nursing home attempted to replicate a home-like feeling through an individualized approach intertwined with health and convivialityfocused hotel practices, hindering residents from becoming part of a meal community. Hospitality actions and less structured meals allowed residents to engage socially. Recognizing and addressing individual and communal needs can enhance commensality and contribute to a greater focus on the potential of meal situations including meals as an arena for rehabilitation.