Facilitating involvement of nursing home residents in food-related activities in breakfast clubs: A qualitative inquiry

Abstract
Objective
To explore how healthcare professionals facilitate nursing home residents’ involvement in food-related activities in two breakfast clubs based on a hospitality and reminiscences approach.
Design
Qualitative one-year intervention study
Participants
Nineteen residents and twelve healthcare professionals
Method
The data were based on observation and debriefing notes from 29 breakfast club events, including 20 ladies’ club events and 9 men's club events. Additionally, 13 interviews were conducted with residents, while 10 interviews were carried out with health care professionals. Data were subjected to thematic analysis and categorized into themes about how healthcare professionals can facilitate involvement in food-related activities.
Results
Five ways of facilitating involvement were identified. Recognizable meal routines and structure, combined with facilitating shifting host and guest roles, created a secure space for residents and formed the basis for involvement in food-related activities. Facilitating dialogues based on a reminiscence approach helped residents become authors of their own identities and facilitating co-creation supported mutual learning processes both for residents and healthcare professionals and allowed residents to negotiate their value as a club participant. Improvisation created opportunities for co-creating new social practices and new ways for residents to represent themselves.
Conclusion
Involving nursing home residents in food-related activities is a potential rehabilitation arena, but new competencies for healthcare professionals are needed. They include meal-preparation and hospitality competencies and the ability to support residents in transferring valuable past experiences into present and future intentions. In addition, rehabilitation can be considered as mutual learning processes with shared, negotiated goals.