Research & Practice
Meals on Wheels Meal Reduction Strategy Prioritizes Seniors at Greatest Nutritional Risk
Meals on Wheels (MOW) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1974 with a mission to promote independent living among senior citizens in King County. By providing home delivered meals to homebound seniors, MOW prevents premature assisted living and promotes the nutritional health of this vulnerable population: 60+ years old, homebound individuals with limited informal support systems, who have difficulty performing activities of daily living including the inability to prepare meals. MOW receives funding from the Older Americans Act (OAA), and client and private donations. The recent economic decline has resulted in donation decreases and only sustained funding from the OAA. This decline has resulted in an over-subscription of meals that has left MOW service unsustainable. As the proportion of King County residents who are 60+ increases, an increase in demand for MOW service is expected.
The goal of this project was to create a plan in which clients of greatest need retained regular service, while clients of less need were put on a reduced meal service tier by:
- Categorizing the MOW population based on nutrition risk
- Determining how clients will be identified
- Estimating the impact on annual meal volume
- Outlining new workflows that parallel current workflows
- Monitoring layout and evaluation procedures
Materials Available
Project Type(s): MPH Practicum, PH Concentration Poster
Author(s): Lola Stronach
Program(s): Master of Public Health, RDN Training
Year: 2012
Adviser(s):