Bag of groceries in homecare

Purpose and goal

The aim of the project has been to enable a larger number of older people to continue cooking their own food, and to enable municipalities to offer help with home cooking to elderly people. Lidköping and Haninge municipalities have carried out a development project, exploring the possibility to use a foodbox to simplify cooking for the individual and for home care staff. Both the elderly and home care staff who participated in the project, expressed great satisfaction with the product produced.

Expected results and effects

With relatively simple means, some 30 dishes were prepared. The product was highly appreciated by both elderly people and home care staff. Expected effects regarding older people experiencing a greater degree of independence and satisfaction with the meal, and a reduced need for support from elderly care, is hard to estimate in such a short project time. As far as the staff´s home cooking work is concerned, it is found that the foodbox as a method is easier and requires less time than cooking from scratch.

Planned approach and implementation

The project has aimed to allow central cuisine in the two municipalities to produce about 30 dishes for the foodbox, one for the elderly and one for home care staff. The product was then tested in pilot groups. In Lidköping, 30 older people participated and did the cooking of the food themselves. In Haninge, home care staff have tested the product with a number of home care recipients. Home care staff in both municipalities have participated in training including food theory and testing the contents of the food box. Scheduled planning and implementation have largely been completed.