title: 'I come for the friendship': Why social eating matters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore an innovative social eating programme model for older Tasmanians, Eating with Friends (EWF), from the perspectives of its participants, to establish how successfully it is meeting the organisational aims of strengthening community, reducing social isolation and enhancing mental well-being.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus groups and in-depth interviews, together with brief individual questionnaires, were undertaken with participants in four EWF groups: two urban and two rural, and with two well-established and two recently established groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study found that EWF was meeting the social eating needs of its participants, doing so through nurturing a sense of community.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The flexible model used by EWF was key to its success in achieving its aims. This allowed individual groups to evolve in ways which fitted the needs and aspirations of participants. While participants enjoyed their meals, the social environment and meal settings were determining factors for ongoing participation in EWF.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Orpin
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. alexandra.king@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Alexandra C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011788:Quality of Life; D012424:Rural Population; D012919:Social Behavior; D012934:Social Isolation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013648:Tasmania; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: congregate meal; older people; service for older people; social eating; social engagement