• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.298-308
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• 2013

The elderly population in Korea is rapidly growing. As the population ages, meals become a greater concern, as physical and psychological health problems are directly affected by dietary life, especially for the lower-income elderly. Although the government provides support through a free congregate meal service, there is a lack of systematic management of this meal service. This study investigates the experience of the elderly, especially the symbolic meaning and issues regarding the congregate meal service in their dietary life, to establish strategies for improving congregate meal services. Qualitative data was collected from ten elderly receivers of meal services through in-depth interviews and data was analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological research methods. Overall, 90 significant statements, 13 formulated meanings, and five theme clusters were deduced. The five theme clusters for the importance of meal services to the elderly included the followings: "a real meal", "enjoyment of living", "maintenance of regular life", "place for social life" and "meal of silence". We found that the elderly regarded the congregate free meal service not only as meals to appreciate but also as a form of social life. Furthermore, the elderly did not typically express any complaints regarding congregate meal services because they are free. The results showed that it might be difficult to evaluate the quality of meal services based on the opinions of the service receivers. This study suggests it is necessary to develop multilateral evaluation methods to reflect the needs of the elderly and to improve the congregate meal services at elderly welfare centers.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.919-926
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to examine the current congregate meal service program for homebound elderly. One hundred three meal service centers in charge of the congregate meal service programs as part of the elderly foodservice program were surveyed for administrative structure, menu management, food purchasing and production management, hygiene, equipment, and facilities. Statistical data analyses were completed using the SAS 8.1 program for descriptive analysis and ANOVA. The meal cost of 54.4% of the congregate meal service centers ranged from ￦l,500 to ￦l,999 per meal. According to the menu analysis, all nutrients except calcium and Vitamin B2 were at levels of more than 33% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances for Koreans. A total of 81.5% of the centers were operated without the services of a dietitian, and food purchasing, menu planning and other foodservice management processes were handled by non-professionals, such as volunteers, cooks or social workers. Although 88.3% of the centers required a therapeutic diet menu for the health of the elderly, most directors (77.6%) replied that in their current status they could not afford to serve therapeutic diets. These results suggest that financial and systematic supports by government is very necessary. Fifty-five percent of the centers never used standard recipes. For determining portion sizes, 93.2% of the congregate meal service centers depended on the personal experience of the personnel. Finally, the current congregate meal services for the homebound elderly were not operated systematically. To improve the elderly food service program, it is strong1y recommended that it be managed by Professionals.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.246-255
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• 1997

This study was designed to find out opinions about free congregate site meals that the program served to improve nutritional status of low socio-economic elderly. This study was conducted in Sungnam-shi. The purpose of this study provided the baseline data to extend the meal service program in this area. Five hundred samples were selcted by the propotion of population in three districts(Sujung-gu, Jungwon-gu, Bundang-gu). The result were as follows. 72.8$\%$of subjects were women and 27.2$\%$of subjects were extended family type. Seventy$\%$ of respondant were not aware of the free meal service for elderly. Major channels of information about free meal service were mass media(33.8$\%$)and advertisement material from city (24.3$\%$). The rate of recognition and channels of information about free meal service were different according to demographic characteristics of subjects. Sixty-eight of subjects pointed that the meal service program was highly necessary in these areas and the necessity of the program was not significantly different by socio-economic variables. The group who know about free meal service had a positive attitude toward supporting the meal service program. Women preferred labor volunteers(46.8$\%$)at meal service center and men preferred donations. According to levels of education each group preferred different types of surpport for free congregate site meals for elderly. (Korean J Community Nutrition 2(2) : 246~255, 1997)

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.761-770
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to plan a 5-day menu using antioxidant-rich foods (vitamin A. vitamin C, vitamin E, phytochemicals) for a congregate meal program for the elderly and to evaluate the satisfaction of menus. The elderly participated in the congregate meal program at Guro Elderly Welfare Facility during October, 2003 (120 persons / day). The elderly liked yungyangbab, cooked rice with sweet potato and pumpkin, soybean paste soup with chinese cabbage, pan-fried cuttlefish patty with chopped soybean sprout, pan-fried beef patty with tofu and ginseng, fresh vegetable salad and most of desserts. The leftovers of menus were negatively correlated with satisfaction of menus. The 5-day menu contained over 1/3 of KDRIs (Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans) except fiber calcium, vitamin K and vitamin E. In conclusion, menus using antioxidant-rich foods for a congregate meal program for the elderly will improve nutrient intakes and satisfaction of the meal program. It may help to prevent chronic diseases and improve healthy lives of the Korean elderly.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.333-344
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• 2004

To investigate current status of the elderly meal service program, community centers nationwide were surveyed for congregate meal services. The survey was conducted during the month of December 2002 by mail using self-developed questionnaire on administration, staffs, funding, and meal service management. Only 95 out of 356 community centers (27%) answered and returned the questionnaires, and congregate meal menus were also collected from 20 centers for 492 days. Results were analyzed using SAS package program. In more than half of the elderly congregate meal service programs, following criteria were used in multiple form to allow participation; 65 years old or older, low income, or living alone. All centers served lunch, most of them free of charge, and 88.4% of them provided service 5 days a week. About 79% of the total cost occurred on the congregate meal service was supported by the government. Most of the menus served at congregate meal service were Korean style dish with rice. On the average, each meal provided 3 side dishes including kimchi, in addition to soup or stew. Only 19% of the centers have employed dietitian working for meal service programs; meal menus were prepared by social welfare workers or other non-dietetic personnels in more than 80% of the centers. Food purchasing and food hygiene control was also practiced mainly by social welfare workers or cooks. This study suggests that dietetic professionals are needed to better manage meal service programs for the elderly in both aspects, food hygiene and nutrition. Development of more nutritious menus and determination of appropriate serving sizes for the elderly meal service programs are necessary to meet the RDAs and dietary action guide for the elderly.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.33-48
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• 2000

This study was designed to examine the degree of dependence on dietary environment, evaluate the perception of metal service program and investigate factors affecting the demand for meal service programs for elderly parents. The purpose of this study provided the basic information for the development and systemization of meal service program for elderly. Eight hundred twenty semen adults who have elderly parents were surveyed using pre-designed written questionnaire. According to the results on the life environments of their elderly parents, psychological factors(41.7%), living condition(14.3%) and dietary environment (13.2%) had trouble. Physical and psychological conditions significantly affected the dietary environment(p<0.05). Only 9.2% of the subjects were already aware of recognized the meal service program for elderly, and the degree of recognition differed significantly by sex and education level. Women had better perception of meal service program for elderly than men. In men, they would expect to use congregate meal service(44.1%), home-delivered meal service (23.7%), nursing home meal service(16.9%) in order. On the other hand, for women, home-delivered meal service (41.2%), congregate meat service(44.1%), and nursing home meal service (16.8%) in order. Therefore there are significant differences between men and women what type they want(p<0.001). For those who haute both of the parents or either one of them, they would use more of congregate meal service (38.8%) and home-delivered meal service (38.8%) than nursing home meal service (15.5%). The group whose parents are lower socio-economic status would have tendency to use the nursing home meal service (p=0.06). The group of whom believe the dietary environment is the problem of their parents'life environment had preference of using congregate meal service and home-delivered meal service.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.114-127
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• 2003

In the process of devising an efficient meal service system for the elderly, 478 elderly were interviewed at 6 different social centers with the elderly meal service program in Seoul area to monitor degree of satisfaction and/or needs of the beneficiaries regarding the program. The survey was conducted during the month of December 2002 by well-trained interviewers using self-developed questionnaire. Results were analyzed statistically using SAS package program. Most of the beneficiaries were low economic class and 76% of them had doctor diagnosed disease(s). Among the beneficiaries of congregate meal service, mean score of 12 aspects of satisfaction was 3.72 out of 5. For most of the questions, female elderly and healthy elderly responded with higher score than male elderly and unhealthy elderly, respectively (p<0.05, p<0.01). On the other hand, beneficiaries of the home-delivered meal service were little bit less satisfied with the service (3.54 out of 5). Compared to the beneficiaries of congregate meal service, larger portion of beneficiaries of home-delivered meal service wanted more meats (28.5 % vs. 17.1 %) and vegetables (23.2 % vs. 12.3 %) as side dishes. On the other hand, the most preferred type of cooking and/or seasoning was stewing for both cases. Based on these findings, it is suggested that more fresh foods should be used than processed foods in the preparation of meals for the elderly and, more fish-, meat- and vegetable- dishes should be served to come up to the needs of the elderly. Onto this, mainly Korean style meals with some intermittent Western, Japanese or Chinese style meals served at the right temperature would suffice most of the elderly needs.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2014

Purpose: Healthy and balanced meal is very important for the elderly to maintain the quality of life in community. Senior meal delivery system and congregate meal services have been played an important role to prevent premature institutionalization of the elderly. Food delivery system and lunch service spaces for the Korean elderly were mostly focused and limited on low-income family. The purpose of this study is to analyze community food services environments for the elderly in the UK, the U.S. and Japan for the possibility of applying those service spaces to Korean community. Methods: Lunch service spaces of these three countries were investigated by literature research and visiting of venues. Pilot study of the elderly meal services in Seoul was done for comparing environments and future research. Results: Lunch service spaces in three countries were mostly community based for accessibility and the types of management were various for the elderly to choose the most suitable services for them. The group dining spaces are usually small and designed to give de-institutional atmosphere. Implications: Food service environments for the elderly in Korea should develop more community based model of food delivery and congregate meal service spaces as well as more de-institutionalized design of those spaces.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.830-838
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• 1996

The purpose of this study were to : a) examine the current foodservice management practices by different types of elder-care sites, b)evaluate the attitudes of recipients of meal service programs, and c) provide feedback for the efficient and effective foodservice management of elder-care sites in Korea. A total of 91 elderly congregate sites was analyzed in Survey 1 and opinons of 190 recipients were surveyed in Survey 2. According to the result of meal cost analysis, the meal cost per a day was ranged from ￦728 to ￦5,500. Only 16.5% elder-care sites had one dietitian due to the lack of budges and the isolated geographical location of sites. These results suggested that financial and dystematical supports by the government would be very necessary to meet the goal of nutritional-balanced meal services at congregate sites. The survey results of recipients at sites, the mean of meal satisfaction score was rated 3.63 at the five-point scales. Significante differences were found between dependent variables(food, convenience, atmospere, menu, facility, and service) and independent variables(site type, gender, living years at sites, and health status). Thus, foodservice managers must consider characteristics of participants for menu planning, service, and distribution.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.431-446
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to examine current foodservice management practices at free congregate meal service for elderly people. Forty seven meal service centers as well as randomly selected Seoul and Kyunggido area were surveyed and interviewed and results were summarized as follows: The cost of each meal(lunch) was ranged from 1,300 won to 1,500 won and 68% of target centers were severed over 100 meals per day. Meal time for lunch begins from 10:30 am to 12:00 because great portion of elderly didn't take breakfast frequently. 52.3% of centers severed meal 5 times per week, just weekdays. 21.3% of centers employeed dietitian, 63.8% of center employeed cook. 95.7% of center were supported labor force by volunteers. Volunteer was important contribution to free meal service. Utilizing the labor force more effectively is thus a major challenge facing manager in each center. Ideal supporting system of free foodstuff, foodbank was still minor source of securing foodstuff. Most of centers(46 centers)served lunch, only one of them served breakfast and lunch. Government was the major financial sponsor, the second of them was religious organization. The large portions of financial support provided only food cost of total meal service budget. Most of center adapted self-service system. Standardized recipes were not developed and meal preparation was controlled under the experience of volunteers. Recording system of nutrition management, production control, storage and inventory control was not adapted by most of sites. It is suggested that in order to meet the change of the patterns of social and family structure, the service of the center should be offended in urban area and it is necessary to develop systematic management models for the center. It was suggested that not only financial support but also systematical support on management by the local government may be necessary to meet the goal of supply nutritionally balanced food at center.