Nourishing body and soul

Early in Evermore’s life we wrote a manifesto that explained to our staff and customers what we believed in.  One of the lines says:

Our mission is to help you, our customer, feel good in your body and soul every day.

 People reading the manifesto might wonder why we felt the need to spell out body and soul. Here’s why.

Physical nourishment is one thing. We wholeheartedly believe in the health benefits and restorative powers of great tasting and wholesome food.   Sadly there are occasions where basic nutrition is overlooked, resulting in older people who are malnourished and dehydrated. We are determined to stop this from happening.

But it’s not just the eating of the food that can make a difference to someone’s wellbeing.

It’s also the ability to participate in the making of that food, whether that’s peeling the spuds or helping to choose what will be for lunch. It might seem minor but having these decisions and choices taken away from you can symbolise a loss of independence and have a demoralising effect.

And it’s the opportunity to share that food with someone.  Imagine living alone for 10, 20, 30 years and only having the TV or radio for company at mealtimes? We want all older people to be able to come home to a buzzing household and have the choice of sharing their day over a meal or a drink.

Like I tweeted to Patrick Butler from The Guardian in response to his story about cuts to meals and wheels, ‘nourishment is so much more than food. Mealtimes should be about sharing stories with someone as well.”

And it’s not just us that recognise this. The Office for National Statistics made the decision last year to include mealtimes in the national measure of happiness.

This is why we say body and soul. Evermore isn’t about simply existing. It’s about living the best life you can, at every age, and that means being nourished physically, mentally and emotionally.

Sara

Sara Mckee, Founder & Director of Market Innovation
Follow Sara on Twitter @SaraMcKeeFRSA