Bringing children and older people together through food: The promotion of intergenerational relationships across preschool, school and care home settings

Jones, Mat; Ismail, Sanda Umar

Abstract

Purpose: This paper aims to explore how food-focused social activities are a route for promoting intergenerational relationships, well-being and dietary benefits among residents in care homes and children in preschool/schools. Design/methodology/approach: Using a case study methodology, this study undertook staff-focused research on a 26-month UK programme in 12 partnership clusters, involving a range of growing, cooking, eating and community activities. Findings: Staff reported benefits for older people, including improved mood, surfacing positive memories, new personal connections and relief from feelings of boredom and loneliness. Children were reported to develop in-depth relationships, greater empathy and overcame negative preconceptions. Food-based activities enabled all parties to express caring and nurturing in tangible and often non-verbal ways. Originality/value: Food-based activities appear to have specific material and emotive characteristics that resonate with the intergenerational interests of older people and children. Using mainly in-house resources, this study showed that it is feasible to generate novel food-based practices between children’s education and care home sectors. A “test-and-learn” programme model is recommended, given sensitivities and complexity associated with food-based activities and the limited organizational capacity of care home and early education service providers.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 2, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Mar 2, 2022
• Publication Date: Apr 28, 2022
• Deposit Date: Mar 9, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 18, 2022
• Journal: Working with Older People
• Print ISSN: 1366-3666
• Electronic ISSN: 2042-8790
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 26
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 151-161
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/wwop-11-2021-0059
• Keywords: Community and Home Care; Gerontology; Loneliness and social isolation, Test-and-learn, Intergenerational, Well-being, Diet, Care homes, Older peopl
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/9106642
• Publisher URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/1366-3666