THERE'S more to meal times than simply the food on the table – the social aspects are just as important.
Most of us take for granted the pleasures of sharing a meal with family or friends but for the elderly living alone it can be easy to lose interest in eating well.
And all too often, many of them begin to skip meals altogether resulting in poor nutrition and ill health.
But now a tasty new scheme is being cooked up in Calderdale to give the elderly a new appetite.
The Meet To Eat befriending project has been launched by Age Concern Calderdale and is aimed at high risk, lonely older people, reveals project co-ordinator, Christine Henry.
"When you're older it's easy to lose interest in eating well when there's no-one at home to share a meal with you," she says.
"What often happens is that you can get widowed men who had rarely ventured into the kitchen and so they often have no idea of how to prepare and cook food.
"And then there are ladies who enjoyed cooking for their partners but when they're gone, there's no-one to appreciate their culinary skills and so they don't see any point in bothering cooking just for themselves. As a result these people really miss out, not just on meal times but on the social pleasures of sharing a meal with someone," she adds.
The project is introducing volunteers, who will befriend the vulnerable and who on a weekly basis, will plan, cook and shop for the ingredients of a meal.
"The meal will then be enjoyed together by the elderly person and the volunteer. And it doesn't have to be cordon bleu.
"It can be just plain simple, food but the pleasures of sharing it together are tremendous."
Christine reveals that the project has got off the ground thanks to funding from the UK branch of the Portuguese Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, which has a reputation for initiating innovative ideas.
Grants are given out under a number of headings, including arts, education and social change and the foundation is particularly interested in focusing on new ways to involve and support the elderly in their local communities.
Age Concern Calderdale will now target those most in need through an informal referral system by liaising with district nurses, social care staff, GPs and health professionals as well as family, neighbours and even clients themselves.
"We are hoping that we will get to hear of those who would benefit the most from the Meet To Eat project," she says.
She adds that another important element of the project will be improving health for the elderly.
"We all know that a good diet in later years can improve health and that generally a healthier person is more independent. On the other hand poor nutrition can prolong recovery from illness and also increase the likelihood of admission to hospital or residential care.
"All too often elderly people living alone can get into the habit of not taking proper meals and just snacking on unhealthy food," she explains.
"That's where the Meet To Eat project comes in. With the help of volunteers we are hoping that older people with get back into the habit of healthy eating. They might also learn new cooking skills and meet new friends, in a relaxed and sociable environment."
Christine is now appealing for volunteers who would like to act as befrienders.
"We have already got a bunch of dedicated volunteers but we are always grateful for more. They can be aged from 18 to 80 and the only qualification they need is that wonderful thing called time."
A Meet To Eat picnic to officially launch the project, will now be held at Ogden Water on Tuesday, July 15 where befrienders and the elderly can get together.
Anyone who wants to find out more about the project or anyone who knows of someone who could benefit, should ring Age Concern on 01422 252040.



AGE Concern, Calderdale, based in Park Road, Halifax, runs a number of befriending schemes including Active Befriending which focuses on helping people take part in activities that they can continue with on their own, once confidence has been rebuilt with the help of a befriender.
Age Concern's Pet Befriending scheme organises volunteers who visit isolated older people with their pets.
Volunteers are also being sought for these schemes. More information about qualifying for help or becoming a volunteer is available by ringing Age Concern on 01422 252040.