This essay is part of an ethnographic research that seeks to grasp the meaning of alimentation for institutionalized elderly, from a qualitative research based on the reflections of Bronislaw Malinowski. We applied the techniques of participant observation and semi-structured interviews with elders of both sexes, aged between 66 and 93 years old, living in two institutions for the aged located in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Exploring the researcher's impressions, the observation of internal codes, standards of behavior, imponderable phenomena of real life, the social distribution of function, the organization of the community in an integrated whole, we find that the feeding routine within the institution is extremely controlled and deprived of meaning, as it does not take into account the cultural identity and individuality of the elderly. However, we believe that a paradigm shift in alimentation through the redefinition of eating could help enrich and better quality of life of this community.
Feeding; Collective Feeding; Food Services; Feeding Behavior; Food Habits; Homes for the Aged; Anthropology; Cultural; Quality of Life; Social Behavior; Qualitative Research