Classes to help older adults improve their cooking skills

5 May 2017

New ‘JUST COOK 4 Healthy Ageing’ classes to help older adults improve their cooking skills

A free, four-week ‘JUST COOK 4 Healthy Ageing’ course designed to encourage older people to improve their skills, motivation or confidence around cooking will be held at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Milford, from Friday, 19 May, and at St Luke’s Anglican Church in Mt Albert, from Friday, 26 May.

JUST COOK 4 Healthy Ageing is a fun, practical, ‘hands-on’ cooking and nutrition course for older people who have limited or no cooking skills and want to learn to cook, or those who wish to re-kindle their interest in cooking. The programme is free-of-charge, with all ingredients and equipment provided, and is open to seniors who live alone or care for a partner.

Held over four consecutive weeks, each class lasts three hours and includes morning tea and lunch. Facilitated by a New Zealand-registered teacher and nutritionist from the NZ Nutrition Foundation, each session involves cooking a meal which is then shared with the group. The course also offers tips and advice on healthy eating, menu planning, affordable food options and budgeting.

JUST COOK 4 Healthy Ageing is an extension of the NZ Nutrition Foundation’s ‘JUST COOK’ programme designed to encourage people back into the kitchen, with the objective of improving health and wellbeing. The programme is being funded by The Selwyn Foundation – a charitable trust that provides a range of services for older people – in partnership with the NZ Nutrition Foundation.

Selwyn’s Community Programmes Manager, Heather Whineray, says:

‘JUST COOK 4 Healthy Ageing’ is a wonderful opportunity for older people living alone in the community – or who are living with one other person – to renew their interest in cooking and eating healthily, and to make friends whilst learning in a fun and supportive environment.

‘The programme aims to inspire confidence and build cooking skills in people who lack experience in this area, and to show participants how nutritional wellbeing in older age can enhance health, independence and quality of life.’

The course begins at St Paul’s Anglican Parish hall, Otakau Road, Milford, on Friday, 19 May, from 10.00am-1.00pm, and will run until 16 June 2017 (please note there is no course on 2 June), and at St Luke’s Anglican Parish hall, 704 New North Rd, Mt Albert, on Friday, 26 May, from 9.30am-12.30pm, and will also run until 16 June 2017. Numbers are limited and registration is essential to secure a place.

Applicants must be able to stand for at least an hour during food preparation and be able to commit to the full four-week course. Participants will also need to bring an apron and covered shoes to wear.

To register, please contact Amy Waddell, Administrator, The Selwyn Institute for Ageing and Spirituality, The Selwyn Foundation. Tel: 09 849 9203. Email: amyw@selwyncare.org.nz

Notes to Editors:

The ‘JUST COOK 4 Healthy Ageing’ programme has been recently developed by the NZ Nutrition Foundation. The Foundation is a professional, non-profit organisation whose members believe all New Zealanders should have access to accurate information to enable them to make informed choices about food and the effect it has on their health. The Foundation helps New Zealanders make these choices by providing a balanced viewpoint on important issues around food, nutrition and health. www.nutritionfoundation.org.nz

The Selwyn Foundation is a New Zealand independent charitable trust, providing residential care (rest homes, hospitals and dementia care), retirement living and community services for older people. As a not-for-profit organisation, the Foundation reinvests any financial surpluses into the provision of additional facilities and charitable activities aimed at helping the aged. www.selwyncare.org.nz

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