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MEALS ON WHEELS AND HEALTHCARE

MEALS ON WHEELS AND HEALTHCARE

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    BILLIONS OF VISITS. MILLIONS IN SAVINGS.

    IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR VULNERABLE SENIORS AND
    THE HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE THEM

    A nutritious meal is only the start of the value Meals on Wheels can deliver to keep your most vulnerable members healthy.

    For nearly 50 years, Meals on Wheels has touched the lives of millions of seniors, providing them with the nutrition they need and human contact they desire. But the benefits of this care and compassion go far beyond, driving notable improvements in their health and your bottom line.

    Staff and volunteers from the nationwide Meals on Wheels network are the “eyes and ears” in the homes of your most at-risk members. Put us to work to observe firsthand any changes in their physical or mental conditions. Learn more about our services here.

    WE IDENTIFY RISKS BEFORE THEY BECOME PROBLEMS;
    ADDRESS PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY BECOME HEALTH ISSUES;
    AND SOLVE HEALTH ISSUES BEFORE THEY BECOME CATASTROPHIC AND COSTLY.

    SHARE IN THE TRUST WE'VE EARNED

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    When Meals on Wheels knocks on the door, vulnerable seniors open it with a smile. Being invited into the homes of millions of the nation’s most high-risk seniors and disabled individuals is an honor and privilege. It’s also the first and one of the most effective lines of defense in avoiding additional healthcare costs.

    Every visit comes with a nutritious meal created to address the specific health conditions of the senior, a safety check around the house and an assessment of any changes that might impact future medical needs. This can mean the difference between independent living at home and an unwelcome transfer to a costly long-term care facility.

    CARING IS COST-EFFECTIVE

    While Meals on Wheels feeds both the body and soul, it also creates a profound effect on lowering healthcare costs. One in four of today’s seniors lives alone, increasing their chances of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Meals on Wheels can be a valuable asset for healthcare providers and insurers by helping to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations, reducing hospital readmissions and post-discharge needs through daily nutrition, socialization and safety checks.

    In fact, 81% of the people we serve say Meals on Wheels improves their health. Now multiply that over the hundreds of thousands of home visits we make every week, and the number of healthier and happier seniors adds up in your favor.

    Healthcare providers are continually looking to deliver efficient and cost-saving services, and Meals on Wheels can bring our special brand of service to your senior members.

    IT'S WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY.

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    OUR SERVICES AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

    We’re able to tap into our nationwide network of local, community-based programs to serve virtually any geography in the country. Choose between the services below, or let us customize a plan to meet your exact needs.


    • Long-term preventative services, including nutrition, socialization, safety checks and connections to community services. 

    • Short-term post-discharge services, including nutrition, socialization and safety checks. Customizable depending on the needs of the provider.

    HEALTHCARE PARTNER NEWS

    MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA INTEGRATES APP-BASED HEALTH MONITORING PROGRAM, IMPROVING RECIPIENT OUTCOMES

    Dec 22, 2021

    Streamlined method for addressing changes in condition among homebound older adults

    Arlington, VA – December 22, 2021 – An app-based method for tracking and monitoring health conditions of homebound seniors has contributed to improved health and safety outcomes for Meals on Wheels clients. A multi-year, multi-phase research collaboration between Meals on Wheels America and the West Health Institute – a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to lowering healthcare costs to improve aging – studied the benefits of using mobile technology to monitor changes in the health conditions of homebound older adults as part of routine meal deliveries. Overall, 85% of the Meals on Wheels programs that participated in this study and adopted this monitoring process found they were able to help the seniors they served avoid a decline in their health or living conditions.

    Meals on Wheels America and the West Health Institute partnered with the Brown University Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research to begin this full research effort in 2016 with the More Than a Meal® Process Evaluation, piloting a process for monitoring changes in physical, mental or environmental condition among Meals on Wheels recipients while using Accessible Solutions’ ServTracker® Mobile Meals mobile application. The app enabled Meals on Wheels drivers to immediately send alerts of noticeable changes to program administrators via Mobile Meals while delivering meals; consistently track health and safety information; and quickly facilitate connections to additional supportive services as needed. This process was refined and scaled in the subsequent 18-month More Than a Meal Process Expansion, and in total, 26 participating Meals on Wheels programs across 15 states adopted the app-based health monitoring process within their own operations. In addition to improved health outcomes, programs also found that daily communication between drivers and office staff was smoother and allowed for quicker follow-up.

    “Meals on Wheels staff and volunteers see home-delivered meal clients on a consistent basis and get to know many of them personally. In fact, we’re often the only people that a homebound senior may see all day or week,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO, Meals on Wheels America. “This has long given us the ability to readily identify changes in a recipient’s appearance, demeanor or home environment that could be harmful to their health. By integrating this app-based health monitoring program into regular meal deliveries, Meals on Wheels can more seamlessly report and act on observed changes as appropriate, all while documenting a rich history of each client’s challenges and interventions to help them successfully age in place.”

    “Identifying changes in a patient’s overall condition early can prevent a mild health or safety concern from snowballing into something more detrimental to a senior’s medical condition and costlier to the healthcare system,” said Zia Agha, Chief Medical Officer for West Health Institute. “This collaboration with Meals on Wheels America had demonstrated the power of using regular touchpoints in an older adult’s life as an opportunity to improve health and prevent worsening conditions.”

    Findings from this full research effort were released today in a new report, prepared by Inceodia, that shares key learnings and recommendations: How Meals on Wheels America Systematized its Holistic Service Model to Address Clients’ Changes of Condition. The full report can be accessed here.

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    About Meals on Wheels America

    Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. This network serves virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America’s seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity. Through funding, leadership, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.

    About Gary and Mary West Health Institute

    The Gary and Mary West Health Institute is a 501(c)(3) medical research organization dedicated to helping seniors successfully age in place on their own terms. The Institute focuses on applied medical research and advocacy to advance home- and community-based healthcare delivery, services and supports that preserve and protect seniors’ dignity, quality of life and independence.

    The San Diego-based Institute, which is solely funded by Gary and Mary West, collaborates with the Gary and Mary West Foundation and nonprofit, nonpartisan Gary and Mary West Health Policy Center in Washington D.C. on senior-centered healthcare policy and payment reform. For more information, visit westhealth.org and follow @westhealth.

    About Accessible Solutions, Inc.

    Accessible Solutions, Inc. (ASI) are the developers of data management software solutions for community service providers. For more than 25 years, their flagship product ServTracker, has helped hundreds of service providers and thousands of users throughout the United States and Canada. Their suite of cloud-based software applications and mobile apps provide a range of capabilities to automate operational processes, which makes business management easier, more efficient and less costly. ASI’s vision is to be the market leader in providing software solutions that simplify the process of capturing, scheduling, delivering, and reporting of services for people serving people. Learn more at www.accessiblesolutions.com.

     

    Media Contact:

    Jenny Young
    Meals on Wheels America
    571-339-1603
    press@mealsonwheelsamerica.org

    Meals on Wheels America

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    To learn more about how Meals on Wheels Health and our nationwide network can provide cost-effective healthcare solutions, contact Ipyana Spencer, Chief Health Officer, Meals on Wheels Health.

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