2012 is the European year for active ageing. Over the next few decades, elderly people will continue to grow in number and continue to age. Our society must succeed in the challenge of healthy ageing. How? By keeping elderly people physically and mentally active for as long as possible thanks, in particular, to a suitable, high quality diet. These are the reasons for which the Louis Bonduelle Foundation develops activities for the elderly through a partnership with the National federation for rural retirement homes (MARPA).

1. Press Kit
Natural Art and Flavours
'Pleasure' workshops to stimulate the participant's
imagination
New practical activities for the elderly!
2012 is the European year for active ageing. Over the next few
decades, elderly people will continue to grow in number and
continue to age. Our society must succeed in the challenge of
healthy ageing. How? By keeping elderly people physically and
mentally active for as long as possible thanks, in particular, to a
suitable, high quality diet. These are the reasons for which the
Louis Bonduelle Foundation develops activities for the elderly
through a partnership with the National federation for rural retirement homes
(MARPA).
Required source citation: Louis Bonduelle Foundation / MARPA
Press Contact
Magali Delmas
Vivactis Public Relations - Tel.: +33 (0)1 46 67 63 44 - e-mail: m.delmas@vivactis-publicrelations.fr
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2. 1
In the European Union in 2011, there were 96 million people aged 50 to 64 (19.1% of the total
population), 64 million people aged 65 to 79 (12.7%) and 24 million people aged 80 or over
(4.7%).1 Various projections indicate that the ageing population will continue to grow over the next
few decades. Stimulating the physical and mental capacities of the elderly in order to stop them
from becoming dependent and to tackle certain pathologies is a massive challenge for society.
Paradoxically, elderly people tend to eat less even though their nutritional needs remain the same
or increase with age. What is behind this change in eating habits and the reduction in the amount
of food consumed? Several factors are to blame: a reduction in financial resources, isolation and
solitude, physical difficulties to feed oneself, dental and sensory changes, etc. These factors make
eating less enjoyable and can result in a diet which is no longer balanced and, even, protein-
energy malnutrition. It is estimated that 5% to 10% of elderly people living at home and 30% of
those living in a care home suffer from malnutrition.2
In view of this finding, the Louis Bonduelle Foundation*, which has acquired a degree of
expertise in diet and eating habits since it was established in 2004, has joined forces with
the National federation for rural retirement homes**.
MARPA homes place great importance on the need for a balanced diet and the enjoyment of
residents when deciding on the home's meals, a process in which residents are also involved. The
layout of a room and the organisation of a meal can bring people together and make it easier for
residents to socialise. All meals are prepared and served in the MARPA home. Multi-skilled
employees eat with the residents, enabling them to be attentive to the residents' wishes and
engage with them.
This partnership has given rise to an innovative operation targeted at MARPA residents
throughout France. Its aim is to use vegetables to get residents to express themselves and
socialise while also having an enjoyable time. As from June, MARPA homes throughout the
country will be able to run activities centred around the plant world.
www.fondation-louisbonduelle.org
** www.marpa.fr
1
Eurostat statistic Focus 23/2011
2
National food programme. Interdepartmental programme steered by the Ministry for agriculture, food, fishing and rural
affairs. February 2011
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3. The partnership between the Louis Bonduelle Foundation and FNMARPA
What does this operation involve?
A nutritious diet in which fruit, vegetables and protein are given pride of place is an important part
of ageing well. But eating is also a social activity and the conditions that prevail during a meal
are also important. The Louis Bonduelle Foundation has already highlighted this point in its
research on eating habits. The Foundation has created a number of innovative awareness-raising
tools and practical activities to deal with these issues, which are also faced by MARPA employees
on a daily basis.
It was for this reason that a partnership between the Louis Bonduelle Foundation and the National
federation of MARPA homes was formed. This partnership subsequently gave rise to an
unprecedented and ambitious programme for MARPA residents whose aims include: valuing the
elderly, arousing their curiosity, stimulating their imagination, engaging their sense of taste and
smell, sharing enjoyable moments, encouraging residents to share their culinary knowledge,
fostering a feeling of well-being, and maintaining or creating social and intergenerational ties.
Piloted in 2011 and in the spring of 2012 in three MARPA homes, the project will be rolled out
throughout the whole of France in June when kits are sent to all of the country's MARPA
homes. Developed by the Louis Bonduelle Foundation with the help of a specialist in educational
games, Brigitte Cicchini, these kits contain a number of practical and theoretical tools.
Practical tools, such as cooking utensils and small items specific to an activity, such as a
blindfold, cover the material requirements of the activities. Theoretical tools, including a
training guide and fact sheets, are designed to allow the person leading the activity and the home's
employees to take charge of the workshops. Whenever the Louis Bonduelle Foundation puts in
place a local activity (see box), it strives to ensure the homes can lead the activity independently
by providing reference material which is as comprehensive as possible.
Each home can run the activity when and how it likes. A home can, for example, split the two
workshops and thereby make the operation last longer.
MARPA: homes on a human scale
MARPA homes are a home from home in terms of comfort and security. They accommodate frail
elderly people, whether independent or in the process of losing their independence, who cannot or
do not wish to carry on living at home. Within a small home, which never has more than 24
residents, each resident has an independent ground-level apartment with a private entrance. In
brief, MARPA residents really are at home and can lead the life of their choice.
Residents either come from the surrounding area or move into the home to be closer to their
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4. family. They are interested in living in a home which is not large and impersonal and where the
independence and the well-being of each resident are key to ensuring they enjoy a happy
retirement.
How does a MARPA home operate?
The keyword is...freedom. A MARPA home is a place where the services are optional but where
there is always support at hand. A team of qualified professionals provides customised support to
the residents and their family. The homes do not have their own medical team. Residents can
therefore consult the doctors and nurses of their choice.
Being connected to the outside world, MARPA homes let residents take part in the social,
economic and cultural life of the local community. Local children are welcome to get help from
residents with their homework, for example.
And the meals?
Each apartment has a small kitchen. However, a collective dining room lets residents enjoy their
meals with the other residents. Each person can contribute to the meal by providing food, setting
the table, preparing a sauce or peeling the vegetables, etc. Having an open kitchen and being able
to help those who prepare the meals make these times together even more enjoyable.
Where are MARPA homes located?
Every year, on average, ten new MARPA homes open their doors and join this network, which now
has almost 162 homes. MARPA homes can be found throughout France. The homes are managed
either by the State or an association.
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5. The Louis Bonduelle Foundation in the field
Established in 2004, the Louis Bonduelle Foundation helps bring about
lasting improvements in eating habits by making vegetables and their
benefits the focus of its initiatives. Its work focuses on three main areas:
providing information and raising awareness, supporting and helping
research, and acting in the field.
The Louis Bonduelle Foundation provides its expertise in the field of nutrition to a national network which
focuses on target groups:
− Children: there are several campaigns that reach out to children: 'Les robins du potager' (Robins
of the Vegetable Garden) in France, 'Het Groente & Fruit Lab' in Benelux and 'Orto in Condotta' in
Italy.
− Young adults: the 'Légumes 2000' (Vegetables 2000) campaign changed students’ attitudes to
eating vegetables thanks to specially adapted resources with an offbeat message.
− Population groups at risk: the 'La Ronde des légumes' (The Vegetable Round) campaign
launched by the French charity, Secours Populaire Français, and the Louis Bonduelle Foundation,
comprises a series of 'edutainment' workshops which aim to show families at risk how to enjoy and
eat more vegetables without going over budget and disrupting the family's eating habits.
www.fondation-louisbonduelle.org
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6. An in-depth look at the operation
'Natural art' workshop
The art workshop has been piloted at three MARPA homes: Marpa Arc-en-ciel in Saint Mesmin,
near Cholet (Vendée), Marpa Nova Villa in Neuville saint Vaast, near Arras (Pas-de-Calais) and
Marpa Cœur Lauragais in Auriac sur Vendinelle, near Toulouse, (Haute-Garonne).
What happens at this workshop? Led by the land artist, Marc Pouyet, this
workshop involves using vegetables with other types of plant to produce a
piece of art. Carrots, cabbages, leeks, radishes and other vegetables are
chopped up into small pieces and carefully arranged to make vegetable
compositions. At one of the pilot workshops, the vegetables were turned
into...hats for the residents! It is a time in which residents can let their
imagination run free. The workshop offers one major advantage: no previous
experience is required.
Lasting around one and a half hours, the 'natural art' workshop
can be held around a large table. Some participants enjoy
working alone while others prefer working with a partner. All
three pilot workshops were characterised by a great
atmosphere and a feeling of shared enjoyment.
The vegetables also proved to be a good choice of material Marc Pouyet/MARPA/Louis Bonduelle Foundation
given their different shapes and colours and diversity, which was attributable to the season.
Above all, the residents were eager to get involved and start sculpting their vegetables as
nothing is lost: the pieces discarded by the artist were reused...to make soup!
'Cooking' workshop
This workshop, led by the head chef, Julie Coppé, is split into two parts: the first part stimulates the
participants' senses while the second is dedicated to cooking.
The workshop begins with a highly original game involving
the participant's sense of smell and taste. Both of these
senses are put to the test for around 20 minutes. The
residents, who are seated around a table, have to recognise
different types of food supplied in a hamper created by the
Louis Bonduelle Foundation or by MARPA's kitchens. Coffee,
dark chocolate, cheese, tangerine, banana, orange blossom Laura Leveque/MARPA/Louis Bonduelle Foundation
water, sausage, gherkin, beetroot, rum, marshmallow...who will be able to identify each one? It is
not as easy as it sounds, when you are blindfolded!
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7. Once the sensory workshop is over and the residents' enthusiasm has been raised, it is time for
those who wish to pursue the adventure to roll up their sleeves. During the cooking part of the
workshop, the residents' taste buds and creativity are aroused by improvising a recipe. The key to
this stage is its simplicity. The participants get to prepare a number of small tasty dishes with
utensils that are easy to handle.
During the three pilot workshops held in the spring of 2012, residents made pies and mini-pastries,
both savoury and sweet, which were eaten later that day. All of the ingredients and materials were
provided: puff pastry, eggs and pastry brushes to glaze the pies, cutting boards and, of course, the
ingredients for the filling. This is when the creativity of each chef comes out as original
combinations can be attempted. Savoury ingredients included: grated vegetables (carrots, celery,
courgettes, etc.), diced ham, grated Emmental cheese, button mushrooms, slices of hard-boiled
egg, bacon, smoked salmon, goat's cheese and Roquefort, pitted olives, dried tomatoes,
seasoning...
Ingredients for the sweet dishes comprised various flavours and textures including fresh, dried and
tinned fruit.
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