Home-delivered meals: Setting up and appropriation processes among the older adults losing autonomy

The onset of disabilities may lead older adults to delegate some daily activities to a caregiver. While a large majority of older people look forward to staying at home as long as possible, the loss of autonomy may constitute a disruptive element in a person's life. Objective. Our objective was to explore the setting-up and the appropriation processes of meals-on-wheels service among older adults. Method. Semi-directive interviews were conducted with 30 beneficiaries of meals-on-wheels service (21 women; 70-97 years old). Result. The thematic analysis of the interviews showed that the implementation of this service is often linked to a loss of functional capacity which limits older adults' ability to do their food shopping. Two main situations were observed: for some participants, the implementation of this service is one step among others within in the gradual implementation of various care services, while for others the implementation of a meals-on-wheels service is sudden, often following hospitalization. This dynamic is influenced by the life situation of the older person and the presence/absence of relatives. In fact, the personal involvement of an older individual in the implementation of this service varies greatly from one person to another and can influence the perception of this service. Conclusion. Meals-on-wheels service may be improved by introducing ``freedom spaces'' such as provision of choice or individualized delivery service, considering the life situation of each beneficiary. (C) 2020 Societe francophone nutrition clinique et metabolisme (SFNCM). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.