What Explains Interest to Promote Relationship-Centred Mealtimes in Care Homes? A Secondary Analysis of Cross-Sectional Survey Data.

Abstract

Relationship-centred mealtimes can support care home residents, who are at high risk for loneliness. However, care home staff do not consistently promote relationship-centred mealtimes. This secondary analysis examined the impact of factors (selected based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour) upon care home staff interest in making mealtimes more relationship-centred. Data were from a cross-sectional, quantitative survey of 670 care home staff from North America. We used multivariable logistic regression to test hypotheses. The model was statistically significant, and explained 13 per cent of the variance in staff members' interest in making mealtimes more relationship-centred. Respondents who were more satisfied with current mealtime practices, had used collaborative change strategies in the past, and who perceived organizational support for relationship-centred care were more likely to have interest in making mealtimes more relationship-centred. These are modifiable factors to target in interventions designed to promote care home staff interest in making mealtimes more relationship-centred.