Report funded through ongoing partnership with the Home Depot Foundation

Arlington, VA, February 27, 2018 – Meals on Wheels America today released Older Adults and In-Home Safety, a report funded through a strategic partnership with The Home Depot Foundation. The report seeks to explore safety challenges and hazards seniors face in their own homes and interventions to improve in-home safety and falls prevention.

“Local Meals on Wheels programs play a critical role in observing and addressing safety hazards in the home during regular meal deliveries,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “Trained volunteers and staff are uniquely positioned to be the eyes and ears in the homes of vulnerable seniors, able to identify potential risks firsthand and offer additional supports and peace of mind for not only the seniors themselves, but also for their families and loved ones.” 

In an ongoing effort to support local programs in their work to ensure their senior clients remain healthy and safe, Meals on Wheels America conducted an assessment of the most prevalent home hazards, as well as a review of what is being done to make homes more livable to keep seniors safer and prevent falls. The Older Adults and In-Home Safety report conveys the insights and findings of that assessment. The report:

• Explores the primary safety challenges seniors face in their own homes;
• Synthesizes interviews and publicly available research and information about solutions and interventions to improve in-home safety;
• Examines groups and organizations that are involved in improving home safety and livability for seniors; and
• Looks ahead at trends within the in-home safety space to consider what can be done to fill existing knowledge and implementation gaps in the future.

“We hope that local Meals on Wheels programs and others who work closely with vulnerable seniors will be able to leverage the breadth of information gathered through this report and explore new ways to make those seniors feel safe and secure in their own homes,” said Heather Prill, Senior Manager, National Partnerships and Atlanta Hometown Giving, The Home Depot Foundation. 

As part of its ongoing commitment to improving the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans and their families, The Home Depot Foundation has funded veteran home repairs through Meals on Wheels America and local Meals on Wheels programs across the country since 2015. Through this partnership, The Home Depot Foundation has contributed nearly $4 million and countless volunteer hours to help senior veterans with critical home repairs so they can age more safely and comfortably in their own homes.

To download the full report, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/OlderAdultsAndInHomeSafety.

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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 isolation and hunger. 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. By providing funding, leadership, education, research and advocacy support, 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 The Home Depot Foundation
The Home Depot Foundation is a 501c3 committed to improving the homes and lives of U.S. veterans and their families with a specific focus on combat-wounded, senior and homeless veterans. The foundation also provides clean-up and rebuilding support for communities affected by natural disasters.

Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has invested approximately $227 million in veteran-related projects, part of the foundation’s quarter of a billion-dollar pledge to veteran-related causes by 2020. In partnership with Team Depot, the 400,000-strong army of associate volunteers, the organization has positively impacted more than 37,000 veterans' homes and helped more than 3,800 communities.

To learn more about The Home Depot Foundation and see Team Depot in action, visit homedepot.com/teamdepot and follow us on Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram @teamdepot and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/teamdepot.

Contact:
Jenny Bertolette Young
Meals on Wheels America
571-339-1603
jenny@mealsonwheelsamerica.org