Food shopping and making practical choices around food is more important for many older women’s quality of life than actually cooking it. Shopping gets women out; they meet friends and acquaintances and choose the food they want to eat, according to the CAFÉ study led by the University of East Anglia and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, which calls for greater support for older women to shop in person.
Forty women with an average age of 82 were interviewed by researchers as part of a year-long study of older women’s attitude to reduced contact with food. The University worked in partnership with Age Concern Norfolk and the University of Surrey.
One participant, Helen (not her real name), aged 84, sums up one problem of not being able to shop for herself: “My shopping list is very boring because it’s more or less the same every week, whereas if I were able to go around the shops I’d think, ‘Oh that looks rather nice this week, I’ll have one of those’.”
CAFÉ brought to light the diversity of feelings older women experience around cooking and food. While some continued to enjoy food greatly, others had become less interested in it. Dr Kathleen Lane, the researcher, emphasised that “many older women enjoy food not so much for itself but as a means to see and socialise with their family and friends”.
Most CAFÉ women cook fewer than three main meals from scratch a week. Many had actively chosen to cook from scratch less often in order to spend more time and energy on social or other activities. In contrast, changes in health and abilities meant other older women were forced to cook less often. Whether they cook or not, older women want to feel they have a choice in what they eat. Shopping is one way in which women can exercise choice and have control over their lives – and those who cannot go to the shops in person feel it keenly.
Dr Lee Hooper, a lecturer in nutrition at the UEA Medical School, said: “We were surprised that shopping is so much more important to older women than cooking – many women we spoke to had decided to cook from scratch less often, but, even if women don’t enjoy food shopping, they do it for themselves as long as they are able.
“CAFÉ findings suggest that supporting disabled older women to continue to do their own shopping would have an important impact on the quality of their lives. Older women also need greater transport choices, more information on services to support shopping and cooking, and availability of more food suitable for individual portions.”
Three members of the public, who belong to PPIRes (Patient and Public Involvement in Research), have been involved in guiding and advising the project throughout. Sheila Fleming, one of the PPIRes members and aged 71, has experienced periods of cooking less frequently. She echoed many of the CAFÉ participants when she said: “It’s boring just cooking for one. You need someone to appreciate the effort of shopping, preparation and – yuk – the clearing up!”
Note: For more information or interviews, please contact Annie Ogden, University of East Anglia Press Office on 01603 592764.
CAFÉ study main findings:
Women need better information on services to support their shopping and cooking, greater transport choices and more food suitable for those buying individual portions. This message will be fed back into policy and planning in Norfolk and nationally.
Nearly all the women were continuing to experience changes in their lives, which they were actively managing in creative ways
Women made choices around shopping, cooking and eating that helped them to maintain and enhance their socialising and enjoyment of life
For many women shopping is more important in maintaining quality of life than cooking
All the women shopped if they were able to – even if they didn’t enjoy itMany of the women interviewed actively chose to cook from scratch only occasionally so they could spend more time on social or enjoyable activities.
They often use ready meals, lunch clubs, day centres and meals out with friends instead.
Other women would have preferred to cook from scratch but found it difficult due to disabilities
For information about support with cooking and shopping in Norfolk, contact:
Age Concern Norfolk – 01603 787111
Norfolk County Council Adult Services – 0844 800 0014
