Challenges in the Delivery of Nutrition Services to Hospital Discharged Older Adults: The Community Connections Demonstration Project

Abstract

The objective of this project was to explore the effort necessary to transform the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program (OAANP) into core programs within an integrated health care delivery system that serves hospital-discharged older adults in order to assist them in reintegrating into the community. Six OAANPs in six states were funded and provided technical assistance to develop coalitions with hospitals and community organizations. Each demonstration site was unique and faced many challenges in reaching out to a hospitalized vulnerable population. This project also provided opportunities to try out new initiatives and examine their sustainability within the community.

KEYWORDS:

• coalition building
• demonstration
• Older Americans Act Nutrition Program (OAANP)
• home-delivered meals
• older adults

We wish to acknowledge and thank all individuals who worked on this project. We couldn't have done it without them. These include: the staff at Meals On Wheels Association of America, Alexandria, VA; Hawkeye Valley Area Agency, Inc., Waterloo, IA; Cenla Area Agency on Aging, Alexandria, LA; Nutrition Services, Onondaga County Department of Aging & Youth, Syracuse, NY; Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties, Massillon, OH; The Lutheran Service Society of Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, PA; Christian Senior Services, Meals On Wheels of San Antonio, TX.

This article was supported, in part, by a grant from the Administration on Aging, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, reflect official DHHS policy.