Aims and Objectives

To further develop and validate the Mealtime instrument, an observational instrument for assessing mealtime environments in nursing homes originating from the theoretical framework: Five Aspects Meal Model (FAMM).

Methodological Design and Justification

A mealtime experience is significant for a sense of well-being. In nursing homes, residents' personal preferences, combined with their diagnoses and different stages of illness, influence their mealtime experience and provide a complexity that has been found difficult to assess. Using FAMM, a theoretical framework as its base, this study, attempts to look at different parts of the mealtime environment. FAMM structures the mealtime environment in to five aspects: room, meeting, product, management control system and atmosphere.

This study's design includes instrument development and validation.

Ethical Issues and Approval

This study has been approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (dnr 2019–05477).

Design

Methodological study.

Research Method

An existing instrument, the Mealtime instrument with FAMM as a theoretical framework, was used as a foundation for the development of the Five Aspects Mealtime Environment Observation Instrument (FAME-OI). Content validity index (CVI) was used to validate FAME-OI.

Results

FAME-OI's item-CVI, scale-CVI and modified Kappa displayed high validity. Changes were made in its structure and phrasing. These developments resulted in having a distinct structure in FAME-OI, in reference to FAMM.

Conclusion

FAME-OI is applicable for clinical use in nursing homes and in research; however, adjustments may be needed before its use in other health care facilities.