Continuing a series of posts on Older Americans Act (OAA) Programs, this post will give an overview of the goals and services of the Senior Nutrition Program. Next week, I hope to continue with part 2 that covers some of the funding history and current issues specific to the program.
The first installment, Older Americans Act Primer was posted last week to give a high level overview of the OAA and its goals.
As I said last week, my intention with this series is to increase awareness of the services available to seniors within their communities. This serves two purposes, an altruistic one of helping people receive some very needed services as well as my selfish and subversive intent of increasing the visibility of the government services that are specific to SENIORS as an interest group.
Seniors vote and we know (statistically speaking) that a majority of them vote for Republicans. I have the hope that if seniors understand how their benefits are receiving stealth cuts from the people they keep electing to office, it may effect their choices in future elections.
OAA programs are not an exciting subject, its dry, bureaucratic stuff. But they really do make differences in people lives.
Overview
Senior Nutrition Programs are authorized under Title IIIC of the OAA. Services include the procurement, preparation, transport, and provision of meals and nutrition information to older persons at congregate sites or in their homes. Nutrition services are provided to assist older Americans to live independently by promoting better health through improved nutrition and reduced isolation.
Goals
The goal of OAA Title III C programs is to maintain or improve the physical, medical, psychological, and/or social well being of older persons by providing or securing appropriate nutrition services. Objectives include:
1. Give preference to those seniors in greatest economic or social need
2. Maintain or increase the number of meals served consistent with funding levels
and inflation rates
3. Serve meals that are nutritious, safe, of good quality, and at the lowest
reasonable cost
4. Promote increased cost effectiveness through improved program and food
management
5. Promote and maintain high food safety and sanitation standards
6. Promote and maintain coordination and referral with other supportive services
7. Utilize meals programs to promote senior health and provide disease prevention
support
Nutrition Programs are targeted to adults age 60 and older who are in greatest social and economic need with particular focus on older adults that are:
1. low income
2. minorities
3. live in rural communities
4. limited in English proficiency
5. at risk of institutional care
There are about 5,000 nutrition services providers that serve over 900,000 a day in the United States.
Funding Basics
Funding is provided by the Administration on Aging, within the Administration for Community Living (within the Department of Health and Human Services). Funding is also provided by state and local governments, charitable foundations, direct payments for services, fundraising, volunteer service, and donation meal payments.
In my service area we have 11 meal providers, ranging from city governments, to special districts, to a parish church. California contracts require 10% matching funds for all California Dept of Aging/OAA monies - which is where the "funding is also provided" list in the preceding paragraph comes into play.
Nutritional Guidelines
The OAA requires that all meals served using OAA funds must follow current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and provide a minimum of 1/3 the recommended daily intake. Meal preparation sites and serving sites must also follow all food safety and sanitation requirements and must be appealing to older adults.
Each State Unit on Aging has the responsibility and authority to implement nutritional standards to meet the needs of their senior population. They may focus on nutritional standards that address a state prevalent chronic disease or health problem. In California a Registered Dietician must develop and approve all menu plans according to state nutritional standards.
Congregate Meals
Congregate Meal sites are intended to help keep older Americans healthy and prevent the need for more costly medical interventions. They serve healthy meals and provide opportunities for social engagement, information on health aging and meaningful volunteer roles (older persons have precedence for employment and volunteer positions within these programs).
According to the most recent National Survey of OAA Participants
* More than half of congregate meal participants are 75 years and older
* 58% indicated that one group meal provides at least 1/2 (or more) of their
total food for the day
* 77% indicate the congregate meal program helps them to eat healthier, and
* 76% indicate their health has improved as a result of the program
Home Delivered Meals
Home Delivered meals, sometimes known as "Meals on Wheels" or other similar names, provides nutrition services for homebound seniors. Home delivered meals are frequently the first in-home service that an older adult receives and the program is a primary access point for other home and community based services.
According to the most recent National Survey of OAA Participants
* 70% of home delivered meal participants are 75 years and older
* More than 60% indicated that the single home delivered meal provides at least
1/2 (or more) of their total food for the day
* 91% indicate that the program helps them to stay in their own home, and
* More than half live alone
as the AoA description puts it:
This program provides much more than food; it provides a wholesome meal plus a safety check, and sometimes the only opportunity for face-to-face contact or conversation for that day.
Transportation
The OAA has a separate Transportation Program (Title IIIB) that I will talk about in a future post, but specific to IIIC Nutrition services, there are funds provided to help seniors GET to congregate meal sites if they are homebound only due to lack of transportation (and not disability or frailty).
IIIC Budget Issues
IIIC programs were included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and were slashed after the 2010 midterms when the Republicans took control of Congress. Next week I will cover information related to the national OAA budget as well as provide some examples of the effects of those reduced budgets at the local level.
Information and Assistance Finding Services
If you or someone you know is interested in finding out what services are available in your area, the best place to start is with the AOA's State and or Area Agency on Aging finder. The best place to start is generally with a program/service called "Information and Assistance" which will provide staff to answer your questions and provide assistance with locating and accessing OAA programs and services.