September 6, 2019
ACL recently awarded seven grantees for innovative projects that will enhance the quality, effectiveness, and outcomes of nutrition services programs provided by the national aging services network. The grants total $1,748,404 for this year with a three-year project period. Through this grant program, ACL aims to identify innovative and promising practices that can be scaled across the country and to increase the use of evidence-informed practices within nutrition programs.
The seven organizations receiving grants and their projects are:
- CHEER, Inc – DE: Will use daily contact with volunteers delivering HDMs (home delivered meals) as an opportunity to improve the wellbeing and quality of life/care of homebound seniors ages 60+. The goal of the three-year initiative is to strengthen local coordination of care for the most medically vulnerable seniors aging in place in Sussex County, Delaware, and prevent traumatic and costly medical and life-compromising crises.
- Eastern Area Agency on Aging – ME: Will establish and test an innovative, technology-driven nutrition enhancement and self-management program for older adults with multiple chronic diseases. The goal of this three-year project is to improve the nutritional and health status of rural adults 60 and older with multiple chronic conditions immediately following hospital discharge.
- Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston– TX: Will use innovative technologies to enhance their Meals on Wheels program, connect seniors to vital healthcare services and provide a new framework to enhance collaborative partnerships to reduce a seniors’ reliance on in-hospital care.
- LifeCare Alliance – OH: In partnership with local fire departments and healthcare conglomerates, LifeCare Alliance will further an innovative network of referrals and information sharing for clients who frequently depend on emergency services. “Food 911: How Meals-on-Wheels Redefines Population Health” seeks to build a body of evidence supporting the positive outcomes of this holistic model with the goal of leveraging research to generate new sources of revenue.
- Public Health Solutions – NY: Will address low income, food insecurity, and social isolation barriers by enhancing partnerships in East Harlem and creating a virtual network. The virtual network will look to ensure public housing residents and other low-income older adults are linked to nutritious food and other services to improve their food security, social connections, health outcomes, and the likelihood that they will age in place with dignity.
- Texas Health and Human Services Commission – TX: The Texas Congregate Meal Initiative will conduct research to identify causes of decline in congregate meal program participation by adults 60 and over. Based on that research, the Initiative will then provide select members of the aging network with business acumen and project development training, and the opportunity to pilot the program innovations with the support of a learning collaborative.
- University of Utah – UT: Will look to enhance collaborative community malnutrition transitions of care for recently discharged home delivered meal (HDM) recipients at risk for malnutrition through high-value nutrition care interventions.