Older Persons’ Day Cooking Demo & Social

Aim

The project aimed to create a welcoming space for residents to come together, reducing social isolation through activity and conversation.

The theme for International Older Persons’ Day was climate change. A cooking demonstration was organised to show how to make a healthy, warming soup from vegetables and reduce food waste. This activity supported older people’s health and highlighted hydration.

This was one of the first social events in the common room.

Location

Longsight

Benefits of cooking

Research shows that eating home cooked meals is associated with a healthier diet and particularly an increased fruit and vegetable intake. Cooking interventions have a positive impact on participants’ knowledge and skills, attitudes, food-related preferences and behaviour; this applies to children and adults alike. People from vulnerable, low-socioeconomic backgrounds particularly benefit from cooking skill interventions.

Benefits of social activities

Connecting with others is one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing, five evidence-based actions which can improve personal wellbeing. Social connectedness has a strong positive impact on both physical and mental health. Increased social connectedness is linked to reduced mortality risk, healthier lifestyles and higher cognitive functioning. Socially well-connected people are more resilient, feel more able to take charge of their lives and less stressed. Older adults that are socially connected experience increased life satisfaction.

Benefits of learning new skills

Keep learning is one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing, five evidence-based actions which can improve personal wellbeing. Adults engaged in lifelong learning are more likely to be healthier, have better mental health and be more social connected. They are also more likely to participate in the community and decisions concerning the community. Learning new skills increases individuals’ employability, supporting the economic growth of the community. Adults involved in learning are more likely to be involved in their children’s education, helping them learn and raise attainment.

Testimonies

“Having Nico from buzz attend and interact with people has helped greatly, and gives us all positive outlooks on the future of the involvement of elderly people within the community they live in.”

Evaluation

To identify the need for this project, Nico from buzz attended to a coffee morning at Birch Court in September to explore ideas for social spaces coming out of the pandemic.

This project was a success as the residents wanted a space to come together, but also learn something new. A new connection was made between local organisation Cracking Good Food and Arawak Walton.

The project made use of a space for conversation around food, past times, and what people would like to do going forward.

Nico was on site with a whiteboard to capture what residents enjoyed doing and shared this with the scheme manager for future reference.

Project Team

buzz Manchester Health & Wellbeing Service

Arawak Walton

Cracking Good Food

Residents

Strategic Links to local/national policies (Cooking)

Research/evidence base

Garcia, A.L., Reardon, R., McDonald, M., Vargas-Garcia, E. J. (2016) Community Interventions to Improve Cooking Skills and Their Effects on Confidence and Eating Behaviour. Current Nutrition Reports. 5, 315–322

Hasan, B., Thompson, W.G., Almasri, J. et al. (2019) The effect of culinary interventions (cooking classes) on dietary intake and behavioral change: a systematic review and evidence map. BMC Nutrition. 5, 29.

Hersch D, Perdue L, Ambroz T, Boucher JL. (2014) The impact of cooking classes on food-related preferences, attitudes, and behaviors of school-aged children: a systematic review of the evidence, 2003-2014. Preventing Chronic Disease. 11:E193.

Mills, S., Brown, H., Wrieden, W., White, M., Adams, J. (2017) Frequency of eating home cooked meals and potential benefits for diet and health: cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 14, 109.

Mills, S., White, M., Brown, H., Wrieden, W., Kwasnicka, D., Halligan, J., Robalino, S. Adams, J. (2017)

Health and social determinants and outcomes of home cooking: A systematic review of observational studies. Appetite. 111:116-134.

Strategic links to local/national policies (Social Activities)

Research/evidence base

Global Council on Brain Health (2017) - The Brain and Social Connectedness

Ministry of Social Development (2018) - The measurement of social connectedness and its relationship to wellbeing

New Economics Foundation (2008) – Five ways to wellbeing

Oliver Huxhold, Martina Miche, Benjamin Schüz. (2014) Benefits of Having Friends in Older Ages: Differential Effects of Informal Social Activities on Well-Being in Middle-Aged and Older Adults, The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, Volume 69, Issue 3, Pages 366–375.

Umberson, D. & Montez, J. K. (2010) Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 51(S) S54–S66.

Strategic links to local/national policies (Learning New Skills)

Research/evidence base

Duckworth, K. and Cara, O. (2012) The Relationship between Adult Learning and Wellbeing:

Evidence from the 1958 National Child Development Study.

Feinstein, L., Budge, D., Vorhaus, J. and Duckworth, K. (2008). The social and personal benefits

of learning: A summary of key research findings

Foresight, Government Office for Science (2017) - What are the wider benefits of learning across the life course?

New Economics Foundation (2008) – Five ways to wellbeing

NIACE (2011) - Social value of adult learning for community empowerment.

Contact

Nico Dhillon

Nico.Dhillon@gmmh.nhs.uk