Business Strategies of Meals on Wheels in Onondaga County

By providing healthy food and education to this population, it helps them to have a better and healthy life. In the article “A nurse’s guide to food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens”, the author mentions, “Individuals living food insecure rarely have access to foods recommended by the American Diabetes Association such as fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains. As nurses, we understand the importance of a healthy diet that allows our patients to maintain health and recover from illness or injury” (Greeg, 2014). As nursing students, we may be able to educate patients on what type of foods they should eat and avoid, but without a clear understanding of how their living situation plays a role in this, it can be hard to help

There is a need to identify the level and type of support an individual requires when eating and drinking. Any support while eating or drinking is to be provided respecting the service user’s human dignity, while the carer is exhibiting warmth and a calm attitude. The care plan informs whether the service user is able to feed him/herself, or needs assistance. Many service users will feed themselves when starting their meal, but will get tired and will then require assistance. The hands of service users with Parkinson’s may have to be gently directed so that they manage eating independently. The carer may need to cut the food for the service user. Service users with chewing difficulties, or swallowing precautions, or a history of choking need to be supervised while eating. Of course, these service users will also get a soft diet. Service users living with dementia may reject food which to them resembles to gruesome things (e.g., they may think meat bits in a dark sauce are cocroaches), therefore person-centered support is important. Service users with learning disabilities may find it hard to estimate distances, so the carer will make sure plates and glasses are well within their reach.

This past summer, I acquired an internship at Baldwin and Lyons, an insurance company in Indianapolis. Every Wednesday during my internship, a couple of employees and I would participate in a prodigious community service project, Meals on Wheels. Throughout the three months that I worked at Baldwin and Lyons, I got acquainted with some of the individuals whom we delivered to. These inspiring individuals were so grateful and appreciative that we took time out of our day to volunteer to do such a service. One elderly woman who we delivered to would sing to us as she came to the front door “good meals, good meals, good meals.” She is one woman that I will never forget. First going into this, I was elated knowing I was I getting out of the

Diverse groups in American society are often the most marginalized and therefore the most vulnerable to issues that undermine the fair and uncomplicated pursuit of health and wellbeing. One of those issues is the lack of access to affordable healthy food and, in many cases, the inaccessibility to food in general. Areas where affordable and healthy foods are largely unavailable are called food deserts and the members of the diverse groups that live in such areas or that have access to very little food at all often develop a sense of food insecurity. One of the groups that is increasingly impacted by food deserts and food insecurity is the nation’s elderly population which is, by most standards, defined as those individuals aged 65 and older. The following paper investigates this phenomenon by addressing the elderly population of Ada County, Idaho as representative of this diverse and often disenfranchised population. The paper investigates the issue of food deserts and food insecurity that threaten the health and wellbeing of the elderly in the context of the various elements of social determinants of health that contribute to their development and persistence. The paper also includes proposals for individual and population-based strategies to improve access to healthy and affordable food by this population as well as improve the health and wellbeing of its members.

An example of how other health and emotional conditions could affect the nutritional needs of an individual with dementia is depression, as this could lead to a loss of appetite and also a lack of interest in food and drinks. For example, Mrs B has been depressed for quite sometime due to the death of her husband. She would prefer to be on her own most of the time. As a result of her lack of socialisation she became socially isolated. This affected her nutritional needs, as she didn’t feel like eating. It took a long time until she agreed to go to the dining room at meal times. Once dinner was served she would lose interest in eating and tended to return to the lounge without touching the meal. I consistently done my best to try and encourage her

Over 8.2 million seniors over the age 60 face the threat of food insecurity, up 78% from a decade ago affecting one in seven seniors. The rise in food insecurity is primarily seen among senior Americans with income less than $30,000 or one to two times the poverty level. Younger seniors between the ages 60-69 are becoming more likely to become food insecure than older adults, due to early retirements and not being able to rely on Social Security or Medicare until they reach 65. Elder malnourished patients experience 2 to 20 times more complications and 100% longer hospital stays. Good nutrition is vital to helping America’s 34 million seniors to stay healthy,

People of all ages who are homebound or not able to prepare or acquire nutritious meals are eligible for Sheboygan MOW. Homebound is defined as “You rarely leave your home. Homebound people are able to go to doctor and dentist appointments and beauty salons, but they have difficulty doing so” (Meals on Wheels, 2011). The Sheboygan Division on Aging provides a number of senior dining sites as well as delivered meals for homebound seniors. To be eligible, a person or their spouse must be at least 60 years old. Many of these dining centers are open Monday through Friday, but some of the more rural sites are only open once a week. This program only offers a noon meal, but has a lower cost per meal when compared to Meals on Wheels. They suggest a donation of $3.00 per meal, but will not turn a person away if they are unable to contribute. Other counties offer a wide variety programs. Two programs offered in Milwaukee County include Aurora Mobile Meals and the Goodwill Milwaukee Program. The Goodwill Milwaukee Program is available to economically disadvantaged seniors of Milwaukee. There are several eligibility requirements that must be met in order for a person to be accepted into the program. Participants meet with a social worker and their physician must approve their meal plan. The Goodwill organization does not have a set cost; instead they suggest a donation each month. No one will ever be denied service if they are unable to

Meals on Wheels, an organization that feeds elderly who can’t feed themselves, is planned to get some of its funding cut off with the president’s new financial plan. Meals on Wheels has been feeding the unfortunate since the 1950’s (Carroll A10), leaving this organization to rely on public funding is not a solution to government spending. This organization improves the diets and lives of many elderly by giving them food for their specific needs, and giving them someone who comes and visits. Older people should not be just ignored, their resources are important too. This is grandparents and parents that need, or will need, this kind of help. President Trump can not pretend that the elderly are not people too,

For numerous amounts of people, fruits and vegetables may take a backseat to other foods such as junk food, but for many these healthy food choices are just not options. This is a very widespread issue that has swept the nation and the individual cities that formulate it. In particular, the lack of food security in Columbus, Ohio has had devastating effects for many residents, especially those who live in rural areas and the many underserved communities. These effects include being more prone to chronic diseases and unhealthy Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements. For adults “Twenty-five percent of Franklin County, Ohio, adults say they don’t eat five servings of foods and vegetables each day” (NLC). The residents of Columbus City should be able

They are delivered lunch and supper each day. Depending on their age, the meal costs are different.

The United States is experiencing social issues related to food insecurity and hunger. Current research states that older adults are especially vulnerable to food insecurity. In a study published in the Journal of Urban Health states, “Among the 14.6% of American households experiencing food insecurity, approximately 2 million are occupied by older adults” (Chung, Gallo, Giunta, Canavan, Parikh, & Fahs, 2011, p. 1). Since the year 2011 the Athens Community Council on Aging reports, “Almost 9 million older adults in the United States are at risk for hunger, and Georgia is 8th in state rankings for older adult risk of hunger” (2014, p. 1). Fortunately, in North America, hunger seldom reaches

Meals on Wheels programs are carefully regulated because of the potential danger of contamination of the food, so therefore “only licensed food preparers who meet both nutrition and sanitary standards set by state and federal regulations can provide the meals” (Wong & Meyer, 1993, p. 335). Meals must be maintained at the correct hot and cold temperatures and delivered within two hours of preparation. Typically, these programs use a centralized kitchen or shipping point. In Scioto County there are ten

While better nutritional habits are a major concern for most people with and without disabilities, there may be some specific differences in diet and nutrition guidelines pertaining to people with specific types of disabilities. Issues related to accessing healthy foods, determining food interactions with commonly used medications to control various secondary conditions ( pain, seizures, depression), and establishing specific requirements for food supplements ( vitamins, minerals, fluid intake) are all major concerns among people with certain disabilities. For example, people with spinal cord injury have a higher rate of bone loss after their injury, which increases their risk of osteoporosis. A few studies on persons with cerebral palsy and Down syndrome have also reported a higher incidence of osteoporosis. While it is the recommended daily allowance for calcium intake and vitamin D may need to be increased for certain types of disabilities to offset the rate of bone loss, recommended guidelines are not available. There are little data

Nutritional well-being plays an essential role in the overall health, independence, and quality of life of older persons as well as disabled persons. This nation has a responsibility to at risk populations such as the elderly. Today, there are close to 6 million seniors in the United States facing the threat of hunger. Some of these citizens were raised during the Great Depression, they went on to protect our independence in the Second World War and won the cold war. America's older citizens have been called the greatest generation by many. It is morally wrong that the citizens that built this country should suffer starvation in this land of plenty, which they helped to form. Our country

      At any age, nutrition is vital to maintaining health and enhancing quality of life.  However, achieving good nutrition can be especially difficult for the elderly, the fastest growing portion of America's population.  Many factors, including physiological changes, changes in nutritional needs, illness and physical limitations, food-medication interactions, depression and loneliness, and food insecurity are common causes of malnutrition in the elderly.  This paper will explore factors affecting elderly nutrition, provide suggestions for obtaining and maintaining good nutrition after age 65, and describe the services available to help the elderly meet their nutritional needs.