Coffee for life!

A light-hearted lecture series about food and health for seniors – for pleasurable meals for a good life.

Peggy Dicksdotter Hermansson, initiator and Project Owner, wanted to use this project to increase knowledge about food and health among the older population in the Leader area in order to combat the malnutrition problem that unfortunately exists among many seniors. A problem that not only causes personal suffering and strain for relatives, but also requires unnecessary resources from healthcare and social care and entails extensive socio-economic costs.

The project owner began by developing a fun and inspiring lecture, based on the Swedish National Food Administration's dietary advice for people over 65. An important factor for high attendance was to offer various snack tips and make the lecture a social gathering.

Unfortunately, the project had to be extended several times due to the ongoing pandemic. But when it was free to meet again, marketing of the lecture began through posters, social media and in the local press.

The actors who took up the offer and invited the lecturer were:

• Church of Sweden parishes in Brösarp-Tranås, Borrby, Gärsnäs, Löderup, Lövestad, Onslunda, Simrishamn, Sjöbo, Stora Köpinge, Tomelillabygden and Östra Vemmerlöv.
• SPF Seniors in Blentarp, Rögla, Smedstorp, Tomelilla and Östra Färs.
• PRO in Hammenhög, Onslunda, Sjöbo and Skillinge.
• SKPF Pensioners in Ystad.

Day centers or meeting places for the elderly such as Rosenborg and Skeppet in Simrishamn municipality, Kärnan in Sjöbo municipality, Café Kryddan and Kärnan in Tomelilla municipality, and Göken and Väderleken in Ystad municipality.

Thanks to the project, over 800 people gained access to tools for improved health. It also led to increased quality of life and maintained independence among our elderly.

The information and message were spread through reports in the local press and by distributing the National Food Agency's leaflets to a far larger group than the participants at the lectures. Elderly care staff gained increased knowledge about sustainable meals and better resource utilization.

The demand for lectures remained even after the end of the project period, which can be seen as a very good mark.

This project contributes to long-term benefits through increased focus on the target group. The project can also contribute to health effects and a socio-economic benefit.