Practices and Perceptions of Food Safety Among Seniors Who Prepare Meals at Home

Given senior citizens' vulnerability for foodborne illness, a need exists to determine the necessity and focus for education. Focus groups at senior centers reveal that the seniors (N=74) who prepare more than five meals a week at home use both inappropriate and appropriate practices to cook, cool, and thaw foods. Seniors rely on the distant past for knowledge and identify barriers to altering practices but state that information from educators about the health effects of inappropriate practices will convince them to change. For future food safety education, seniors recommend programs, videotapes, television, newspapers, radio, church bulletins, and written educational pieces.