The Impact of a Home-Delivered Meal Program on Nutritional Risk, Dietary Intake, Food Security, Loneliness, and Social Well-Being

Abstract

Maintaining independence and continuing to live at home is one solution to manage the rising health care costs of aging populations in the United States; furthermore, seniors are at risk of malnutrition and food insecurity. Home-delivered meal programs are a tool to address food, nutrition, and well-being concerns of this population. Few studies have identified outcomes from these programs; this pilot study reviews the nutritional status, dietary intake, well-being, loneliness, and food security levels of seniors participating in a Meals on Wheels delivery service. Clients, new to the meal program, participated in pre- and postphone interviews, and 51 seniors completed the study. The survey was composed of five scales or questionnaires, and statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS. Improvements across all five measures were statistically significant after participating two months in the home-delivered meal program. Implications for further research, practice, and the Older Americans Act are discussed.

The Relationship Between Food Insecurity, Dietary Patterns, and Obesity

“…[57] A home delivered meals program for elderly participants was effective in reducing food insecurity and improving nutritional status. [58]…”

Does Participation in Home-Delivered Meals Programs Improve Outcomes for Older Adults? Results of a Systematic Review

“…Nine studies involved a pre- post-assessment of home-delivered meals on some outcome (57, 58,59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65). These studies attempted to determine: 1) whether receipt of home-delivered meals improved participants’ status along some dimension (e.g., nutritional status, nutrition risk) (57, 58,59, 60, 61, 62); 2) whether changes were observed in participants’ use of formal or informal care (64); or 3) what accounted for withdrawal or continuance in home-delivered meals programs (63, 65).…”

“…These studies attempted to determine: 1) whether receipt of home-delivered meals improved participants’ status along some dimension (e.g., nutritional status, nutrition risk) (57, 58,59, 60, 61, 62); 2) whether changes were observed in participants’ use of formal or informal care (64); or 3) what accounted for withdrawal or continuance in home-delivered meals programs (63, 65). More recent studies included outcome measures of anxiety, well-being, and loneliness in addition to the standard nutritional status outcomes (57, 58). All studies examining changes in participants’ status identified improvements.…”

“…Studies by Sharkey are notable for their focus on disease and disability/functional status (27, 31, 61). An increased focus on quality of life, satisfaction, and health service utilization are also important and increasingly being used by investigators to evaluate program impact (e.g., 57, 58). …”

What Does the Evidence Reveal Regarding Home- and Community-Based Nutrition Services for Older Adults?

“…Furthermore, Cho et al [12] discuss findings from Hospital or Emergency Room Patients Served by Meals On Wheels, Inc. and show that patients who received home-delivered meals, among other services, had lower than expected rates of healthcare utilization three and six months after initial receipt of the services. Wight and colleagues [13] report that community-dwelling seniors who qualify to receive home delivered meals have a high prevalence of malnutrition and risk for malnutrition, as well as food insecurity. However, they showed that after receiving home-delivered meals even for a short period of time that significant improvements were observed for nutritional status, dietary intake, food security, loneliness and mental wellbeing.…”