Recipes for reconnection: older people’s perspectives on the mediating role of food in contemporary urban society

Abstract

By problematising age-related categorisations in community health education this article calls for reflection on approaches to research that, while they may facilitate practice, risk overlooking valuable local skills. Classifying people as ‘Senior Citizen’ or the like may help to direct delivery of services, but may also imply an end to useful participation in community life. In contrast, the article argues that they may have a significant role to play in food related health education and in reconnecting their fellow community members with the social role of food and with each other.