Proceedings of
Perspectives on Nutrition and Aging:
A National Summit

All presenter slides and other materials can also be downloaded as separate files. Individual links are provided for each presentation in the Proceedings below.

• Click here to download the Program Book for Perspectives on Nutrition and Aging: A National Summit (PDF)
  The Program Book includes session descriptions, presenter bios and additional background information on the National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging.
• Click here to download all National Summit slides, supplemental materials and Perspectives Challenge submissions in a single file. (PDF)
• About the Downloads
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Newtrition: Health, Food, Hunger and Seniors in 2012 and Beyond

The Honorable Kathy Greenlee
Administrator, Administration for Community Living and Assistant Secretary for Aging

• View the Presentation
  

• In celebration of its 40th Anniversary, Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee hailed the Nutrition Programs as the flagship of the Older Americans Act (OAA). She acknowledged the work of her predecessors, Assistant Secretaries Josephina Carbonell, Jeanette Takamura and Fernando Torres-Gil, as well as Enid Borden, former President and CEO of MOWAA, for her leadership and vision in fighting senior hunger.
• The OAA Nutrition Programs have been very successful in fulfilling their mission to serve seniors and help them stay independent. As a network, however, we need to look at the challenges and opportunities of the future. The vision is that OAA programs will be further integrated with our nation’s healthcare delivery system and incorporate business-like models. As a collective network, we should learn how to price, sell and market the services and supports that enable seniors to remain healthier and independent, and that delay placement in long-term care facilities or return trips to the hospital.
• Assistant Secretary Greenlee issued a challenge to the audience, and the entire aging network, to prove through measurable outcomes what we know and what doctors, hospitals, managed care organizations and others know to be true: proper nutrition has a positive impact on one’s health and well-being. It is our task to provide the data that proves OAA programs are worth their investment. This is the way of the future and a challenge to overcome, but one that has the potential to provide the additional revenue needed to serve a rapidly aging and more diverse population.

Food as Medicine that Will Actually Go Down!

Dr. David Katz
Director and Co-Founder, Yale Prevention Research Center

• View the Presentation
  

• For the last two decades, the top factors causing premature death and leading to chronic disease have been tobacco, poor dietary habits and lack of physical activity. Lifestyle continues to be the biggest factor impacting health.
  
  "Feet," "forks" and "fingers" are the levers of health. Poor, improper, or no use of these levers have a tremendous sway on our health status.
• Knowledge is not power – health epidemics such as obesity continue to grow despite our knowledge base associated with it. Instead, we should turn what we KNOW into what we DO.
• What will the next generation of older people look like after carrying chronic disease from early ages? The leading causes of death impact everyone in the room, and they are impacting all of us more frequently and at a younger age. The problem is that the variety of traits that keep you alive in one environment can conspire against you in another. We have no native defense against caloric excess.
• In order to be effective, we need a comprehensive array of programs and policies to defend health, including fitness programs, food label literacy, weight management education, transgenerational approaches, a GPS for the food supply, promoting nutritious food selections and linking healthy foods with reduced healthcare costs.
  
  In considering the future of nutrition programs, we need to take the path less traveled, converting society to one where healthcare is within reach.

Opening, Closing and Other Materials

Laura Lawrence, Director of the Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs, AoA
Peggy Ingraham, Project Director, National Resource Center

• The opening remarks acknowledged the historic occasion, including the 40th Anniversary celebration, and the unprecedented gathering of professionals from the fields of nutrition, geriatrics, medicine, and aging – from the nonprofit, the for-profit and the public sectors – together in one place, for one day and for a common purpose: to celebrate the past of OAA Nutrition Programs, while looking to the future and finding ways to build on this platform.
• The closing remarks acknowledged the contributions of all presenters for the knowledge and expertise they offered throughout the course of the day, but noted that the National Summit is only the beginning of our work. The threat of senior hunger is increasing, and our challenge is to work together to overturn the impending crisis. The lessons learned throughout the day were summarized in a list of "c" words – with a final addition of "curiosity" as the force which drives invention, and which will guide us into the future.

• Perspectives from the National Resource Center: Launching an Online Library (Link to YouTube)
• Additional Materials: Seniority: Perspectives On Nutrition. Healthcare. Wellness. (PDF)

A History of the Older Americans Act

Carol V. O’Shaughnessy, MA
Principal Policy Associate, National Health Policy Forum

• View the Presentation
  

• The Older Americans Act (OAA) was created at a time of government expansion, and a wide belief that government could and should do more for its citizens, and particularly for our seniors. The original purpose of the OAA Nutrition Programs – to reduce hunger, promote socialization and promote the health and wellbeing of older adults – is relevant and very much the same as it was 40 years ago. Presently, the government is going through a time of contraction. OAA Nutrition Programs must learn how to become more efficient and do more with less federal support.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)
• Article: The Basics: Older Americans Act of 1965: Programs and Funding (PDF)

Understanding Context: Conceptualization and Reinvigoration

Jeanette C. Takamura, PhD, MSW
Former Assistant Secretary for Aging (1997 – 2001)

• View the Presentation
  

• There are times in history when we must recognize we cannot do things in the same way as we once have.
• Data, research and numbers play a critical role. Having this evidence was vital when presenting the case for the National Family Caregiver Initiative and ultimately getting it passed by Congress.
• There are six words, beginning with the letter "i" which can guide us:
• Illuminate
• Inform
• Innovation
• Immediacy
• Impact
• Influence

Pressing the "Reset" Button on Nutrition Delivery Systems

Josefina G. Carbonell
Former Assistant Secretary for Aging (2001 – 2009)

• View the Presentation
  

• We can move OAA Nutrition Programs into the future by building on the infrastructure that is in place, working together through partnerships of all kinds, including with those in healthcare, research and industry.
• Healthcare costs are rising. There is a chronic disease epidemic, and demographic shifts are taking place in every community across the country. We must understand the context in which nutrition can and should have a role in our healthcare delivery system, chronic disease, medication management and the pathway of care transitions.
• Nutrition Programs need to think about the value and outcomes of serving meals, not only the volume. We need to improve efficiencies, improve performance and improve and identify best practices, including data collection for the right reasons.

• More Information: Improving Outcomes with Innovative Community Nutrition Services (PPTX Slide Deck)

Participants were encouraged to submit their questions and comments electronically throughout the Summit. We encourage those reading the Proceedings to contribute their thoughts, ideas and questions as well.

• See the online discussion for this panel.
• Share your thoughts and continue the conversation.

Uniting the Continuum of Care

Anthony Cirillo, FACHE, ABC
Fast Forward Consulting, Huntersville, NC

• Most healthcare entities struggle with transitional care because:
  • The roles of care providers are evolving.
  • Many providers are not tuned in to nutrition, aging and hunger.
  • Cultural diversity is not often addressed.
  • Services are "siloed," standing alone.
  
  To overcome these barriers, we can look toward a "one-stop-shop" model that brings all senior-related services together – including businesses, education medical service providers and fitness providers.

• View the Prezi presentation. (Link to SWF/Flash file)
• Watch the video of the original Perspectives Challenge submission. (Link to YouTube)

Finding Funding for Congregate Nutrition Programs

Carlene Russell, RD, CGS, LD, FADA
Iowa Department on Aging, Des Moines, IA

• View the Presentation
  

• This program is based on a collaboration between local farmers and congregate nutrition program kitchens. By promoting the use of production down time at congregate meal sites for the processing of local farm products, the nutrition programs are able to generate additional revenue, and the farmers are able to reduce the costs associated with their production operations. Though there is a lot of effort in the planning and development stages for such a collaborative agreement, this can be a mutually rewarding effort that may also be eligible for grant funding support.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)
• Download the original Perspectives Challenge submission. (PDF)

Race, Class, and Frozen Chicken: Perspectives from Philadelphia on
Tackling Senior Hunger Citywide

Margaret Ernst
Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service, Philadelphia, PA

• View the Presentation
  

• In order to find city-wide solutions to senior hunger, a Philadelphia coalition created the following core recommendations:
  • Build a citywide coalition of stakeholders.
  • Create and disseminate a Senior Food Resource Guide.
  • Aggregate information about existing service opportunities.
  • Build and connect volunteer infrastructures in the highest-need neighborhoods.
  
  The efforts in Philadelphia have resulted in an increase in the volunteer task force base, an increase in policy development related to senior food and hunger issues, an increase in the strength of existing programs and increase in sharing efforts between programs and agencies.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)
• Download the original Perspectives Challenge submission. (PDF)
• Report: Food, Seniors, and Service: Strategies for Innovating Home-Delivered Meals and Other Senior Hunger Resources in Philadelphia (PDF)

West Coast Style, Midwest Values—Social Entrepreneurship

Jennifer Fralic, RD, LD
LifeCare Alliance, Columbus, OH

• View the Presentation
  

• With traditional funding services for meal programs decreasing, and demand for program services increasing, organizations can meet future challenges by setting a goal for self sufficiency, targeting a significant portion of the budget for social entrepreneurial efforts. For LifeCare Alliance, "social entrepreneurship" includes programs that help serve clients in need while offering services in the community, as well as compatible, fee-based services that increase agency revenues so more individuals can be helped. The additional revenue has allowed an additional 500 clients to be served through the nutrition program, with no wait list.
• Social entrepreneurship is applied through four efforts at LifeCare Alliance:
  1. An event center with many catering and service options.
  2. A corporate wellness program, which includes adult immunizations.
  3. A Meals for Kids program, providing contract food sales.
  4. Safety and violence prevention education programs for seniors.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)
• Download the original Perspectives Challenge submission. (PDF) (submitted by Andrea Albanese Denning)

How Web and Mobile Technologies Are Changing Nutrition Education

Marci Harnischfeger, MS, RD
ShopWell, Palo Alto, CA

• View the Presentation
  

• With over 66 percent of adults using the Internet to look up medical information, and seniors over the age of 50 generally spending over three to five hours per week surfing the web, web-based and mobile apps can be key to raising awareness among seniors and caregivers about the link between food, health and well-being.
• Mobile technology can transform nutrition education by:
  • Aiding health teams in providing low-cost nutrition education.
  • Coordinating education with any healthy eating plan.
  • Helping individuals obtain personalized information.
  • Tailoring information to personal health and nutrition goals.
  • Providing on-demand information on healthy food options both in the store (at the point of purchase) and in the home (during preparation).

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)
• Download the original Perspectives Challenge submission. (PDF)

Perspectives on Senior Hunger in America: An Annual Report

James P. Ziliak, PhD
University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research

• View the Presentation
  

• There has been tremendous growth in the threat of hunger among seniors in America. What stands out the most is the fact that seniors have had a more difficult time recovering from the economic downturn, as compared to Americans in general. America is rapidly aging as a nation, and the problem will get worse unless we take proactive action – including being more creative in promoting access to safety net programs for seniors, targeting nutrition services to the populations most in need and understanding the special challenges of seniors living in multi-generational households.

• Senior Hunger in America: An Annual Report (PDF)
• More Information: 2010 Senior Hunger Report Card (PDF / Published by the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger - NFESH)

Factors Influencing Nutrition, Aging and Healthcare

Robyn I. Stone, DrPH
Senior Vice President for Research, LeadingAge

• View the Presentation
  

• There are many factors impacting the future of senior nutrition and healthcare: demographics (with an aging population creating more demand), immigration (with more diversity and a shifting composition of the work force), economics (with the need for program assistance growing exponentially), globalization and technology, and changes in the values that drive what we do and how we do it.
  
  The challenges and issues linking nutrition and healthcare include: an increase in proactive seniors looking for more engagement in making decisions about their services, transportation challenges (particularly those related to food security), a lack of affordable housing and the reinvention of retirement.
• When considering the future of nutrition care, we need to look at:
  • The role of integration between acute, chronic and long-term care systems.
  • Rebalancing the long-term care system.
  • Expanding home- and community-based services.
  • Consumer-directed long-term care, and offering more choices.
  • Culture change, which is spreading through all environments.
  • Hubs of the future – offering affordable housing, services and meals.
  • The partnering of nutrition programs with oral care services.

Leveraging Technology to Improve Senior Nutrition

David Lindeman, PhD
Director, Center for Technology and Aging, Public Health Institute

• View the Presentation
  

• Studies show that over 50 percent of those 50 and older use cell phones, the Internet daily and social media. In fact, the largest growth in social media use is among the 65+ age group. Nutrition and health technology is also rapidly growing: 14 percent of apps released this past year were nutrition focused.
  
  Important trends in nutrition-related technology include:
  • Use of mobile devices to connect to health services.
  • Apps and services related to individual health status.
  • Social media presence.
  • Gaming and gamification as a tool for education.
  • Innovative use of sensors (e.g., for food products and temperatures).
  • Availability and use of data analytics.
• Developments in technology give us the opportunity to:
  • Improve communication and nutrition management.
  • Support adult self-activation.
  • Identify gaps in nutrition and wellness.
  • Provide training.
  • Be more efficient in our operations.
  • Foster engagement among older adults and providers.
  • Align organization goals and processes.
  
  Challenges in incorporating new technology into nutrition services include:
  • Establishing viable business models and return on investment.
  • Aligning the technology with regulations and policies.
  • Ensuring the scalability and sustainability of technology services.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)

Using Health Policy to Support Nutrition Programs and Link to Healthcare

Mary Jane Koren, MD, MPH
Vice President, The Commonwealth Fund

• View the Presentation
  

• There is a perception, especially of older adults in low income areas, that their retirement security will not be sufficient to allow them to live independently. When combined with high out-of-pocket costs for healthcare, this affects older adults' perception of, and ability to purchase, sufficient food.
  
  At the same time, the cost of long-term care is unaffordable for most middle-income families (e.g., the national average costs for nursing home care is approximately 241 percent of the average annual household income), and these families will be reliant on Social Security and Medicaid for assistance.
• When family caregivers are in place, there are better health and nutrition status outcomes. However, support for the caregivers is lacking, and the collection of data that links nutrition support and health status outcomes is not coordinated across states.
• There are a number of opportunities for nutrition programs to have an impact as we look to the future. We know that better nourished patients mean improved performance outcomes. Models such as Medical Homes and Health Homes put the ‘ball in the court’ of the medical providers to communicate, coordinate and partner with nutrition programs for services, and Accountable Care Organizations and others in the healthcare arena will be increasingly motivated to incorporate nutrition services as they are judged based on their ability to show positive healthcare outcomes.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)

Applying Private Sector Models to Public Sector Problems

Ginger Zielinskie, MBA
Executive Director, Benefits Data Trust

• View the Presentation
  

• Several strategies employed by Benefits Data Trust to help people in need access public benefits include:
  • Using credit card marketing strategies.
  • Partnering with state agencies to target and identify eligible individuals.
  • Employing direct marketing outreach.
  • Providing assistance through a call center model.
  • Ensuring thorough follow-up and completion of applications.
  • Evaluating processes and procedures.
  • Making corrective changes as indicated.
• A few lessons learned when implementing this new model include:
  • Be adaptable to changing clients.
  • Be adaptable to traditional and non-traditional partners.
  • Make new connections.
  • Continually assess whether projects are meeting established needs.
  • Continually assess for areas of potential improvement.
  • Be flexible, persistent and malleable in working with state agencies.
  • Invest in technology and focus on customer service.
  • Consider return on investment in your funding strategy.
  • Leverage resources to maximize returns and stay competitive.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)
• More Information: About Benefits Data Trust (PDF)
• More Information: Implementing Efficiencies to Increase Benefits Access (PDF)
• Article: Mending Safety Nets with Technology (PDF)

Participants were encouraged to submit their questions and comments electronically throughout the Summit. We encourage those reading the Proceedingsto add their thoughts, ideas and questions as well.

• See the online discussion for this panel.
• Share your thoughts and continue the conversation.

Care Transitions Initiative/Healthy at Home

Samantha Powell, MS, RD/LD
Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County, Fort Worth, TX

• View the Presentation
  

• This project focuses on the five medical diagnosis categories (pneumonia, cardiac heart failure, heart attack, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes mellitus) that typically result in re-hospitalization of patients within 30 days of discharge, and a loss of Medicare reimbursement to the hospital. Care Transitions Initiative programs typically have four foundations:
  1. Medical management
  2. Dynamic patient-centered health records
  3. Primary care and specialist follow-up
  4. Patient knowledge/understanding of health-related red flags
• To this, the Tarrant County program adds a fifth foundation: Nutrition. In this fifth phase, a dietitian visits the patient at home for a nutritional assessment. This presents a unique opportunity to focus on areas impacting a patient's status and improvement potential, and to initiate behavior-related goals. While typically patients with the above mentioned diagnoses have an 80 percent re-hospitalization rate within 30 days, those in this transition program experience only a 7 percent re-hospitalization rate.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)
• Download the original Perspectives Challenge submission. (PDF)

Interprofessional Health Education to Benefit Aging Population

Bernadette Latson, MS, RD
University of Texas Southwestern School of Health Professions, Dallas, TX

• View the Presentation
  

• IDEAL (Interdisciplinary Development, Education and Active Learning) is a unique class for entry-level health professional students, based on the principles of behavioral styles, communication skills, cultural competency, ethics and professionalism. This program focuses on building three aspects of a student's identity as a health professional, allowing them to describe the roles and responsibilities of themselves, as well as their team, in terms of: Professional Identity, Interdisciplinary Identity and Collaboration Identity.
• The course is centered on a model patient and family, and also engages experts from outside areas. With a strong link identified between patient outcomes and care team communication, this course model is ideal for enhancing older adult health management in the future.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)
• Watch the video of the original Perspectives Challenge submission. (Link to YouTube)

The Best Possibilities for Seniors Are Choices

Nancy Tanquary, RD, LD
Johnson County Area Agency on Aging, Olathe, KS

• View the Presentation
  

• CHAMPS (Choosing Healthy Appetizing Meal Plan Solutions for Seniors) is a non-traditional voucher alternative program. Partnering with three local grocery stores, Johnson County Area Agency on Aging is able to offer a meal program that features:
  • Extended hours (seven days a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.),
  • A dedicated dining atmosphere with unlimited seating,
  • Regular diners that cover a mix of ages, and
  • Four healthy menu choices at each meal.
• This program serves 100 meals per day to over 2,000 participants. Additionally, the average donation received from participants in this program is $3.00 – twice the average donation for the program's traditional meal services.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)
• Download the original Perspectives Challenge submission. (PDF)
• More Information: Choosing Healthy Appetizing Meal Plan Solutions for Seniors (PPTX / Slide Deck)

Increasing Access to Nutritious, Local Food for Senior Citizens

Jennifer Goggin
FarmersWeb, New York, NY

• View the Presentation
  

• FarmersWeb is an online marketplace designed to connect wholesale buyers with local farms. Senior Nutrition Programs can take advantage of new technology-driven solutions, like FarmersWeb, to bring more fresh, local food to clients, without sacrificing the efficiency or reliability of their purchasing and procurement processes.
• Food coming from local farms is less processed, has not been modified to withstand extraordinary long-distance transport and storage and promotes food safety. Buying local also helps support local businesses and encourages economic growth for the whole community. In the future, this same technology could be used in a variety of more creative ways to increase access and affordability of food for Senior Nutrition Programs.

• Watch the video. (Link to YouTube)
• Download the original Perspectives Challenge submission. (PDF)

Research and New Directions: Introduction of the Panelists

Linda D. Meyers, PhD
Director, Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine

• View the Presentation
  

• Dr. Meyers set the stage for this session, introducing the panelists who would provide an overview of the cutting edge trends in research and practice that will have the greatest impact on nutrition services in the future.

Nutrition and Healthy Aging in the Community

Gordon L. Jensen, MD, PhD
Professor and Head, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University

• View the Presentation
  

• A recent Institute of Medicine workshop on Nutrition and Healthy Aging in the Community, highlighted the need to:
  • Identify model programs that impact independent living,
  • Promote nutrition along the complete transitional pathway,
  • Be inclusive of multidisciplinary collaboration, and
  • Increase research and improve outcome measurements.
• Building the future of nutrition and transitional care means focusing on:
  • Broad stakeholder participation,
  • Innovation in transitions, and
  • Who is most at risk of adverse outcomes.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)
• Workshop Summary: Nutrition and Healthy Aging in the Community (Link to download from publisher)

The Dietary Guidelines and MyPlate: Promoting a Future of Healthy Eating

Robert C. Post, PhD, MEd, MSc
Deputy Director, USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

• View the Presentation
  

• The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans serve as the foundation for nutrition-related education and outreach efforts nationwide. Within the Guidelines, the three main areas of focus which have particular relevance for older adults are:
  • Weight loss and weight maintenance in chronic illness,
  • Food safety, and
  • Snacking and nutrient intake.
• USDA's MyPlate campaign as an innovative behavior-focused communications initiative targeted to reach consumers wherever a food decision is needed. The MyPlate campaign is built around a message calendar, collaboration with national and community partners, and a suite of creative online tools (such as the SuperTracker). Future efforts will seek to magnify the reach of this campaign, evaluate the impact over time and expand partnerships to reach all sectors of the population.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)
• More Information: ChooseMyPlate.gov (Link to MyPlate Website)

Understanding Variability in Responses to Diet and Food

Robert M. Russell, MD
Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Nutrition, Tufts University

• View the Presentation
  

• There are four main areas of emerging research which will have a major impact on the field of nutrition and aging in the next decade:
  1. Genome and environment interactions across the age span with an emphasis on food imprinting on gene expression and the potential effect on future generations. This could have influential impact on food policy and guidance standards.
  
  2. Microbiome studies, examining the microbes both on and in our bodies, and their impact on disease and obesity prevention in individuals.
  
  3. Nutrition in age-related dementias (which are the sixth greatest cause of death in the United States), with a particular focus on prevention, delay and improving response to therapies.
  
  4. Nutritional bioinformatics, taking advantage of sample repository databases that can support further study and research endeavors.

• Download the presentation slides. (PDF)

Participants were encouraged to submit their questions and comments electronically throughout the Summit. We encourage those reading the Proceedingsto add their thoughts, ideas and questions as well.

• See the online discussion for this panel.
• Share your thoughts and continue the conversation.

Supporting Caregivers and Mature Workers with a New Toolkit on
Therapeutic Nutrition for Employers

Mary Beth Arensberg
Abbott Nutrition Products

• This Best Possibility perspective focuses on the growing number of caregivers in the workforce. Specifically, it provides employers with a toolkit to help their employees improve the nutritional care of their loved ones and themselves as mature workers, and thus improve health outcomes for older adults and increase productivity for employees.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Seniors Assisting in Geriatric Education (SAGE)

Lynell Bond
Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County

• Seniors serve as "mentors" to medical students to assist them in learning how to serve seniors better.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Attracting the Boomers: Making the Shift to a New Age Community Center
from a Senior Center

Jonathan Becker
Senior Services Plus

• Senior Services Plus outlines a best practice initiative their agency developed and initiated to address changing needs of senior health.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Senior Health Now!

Ann Chickowski
Broward Meals on Wheels

• A community-based partnership to provide seniors with science-based nutrition and medication support and education to promote healthy behavior and successful aging. This project includes a cooking demonstration.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)
• Senior Nutrition and Optimal Wellness (PPTX / Slide Deck)

Increasing Access to Base-Line Program Services for Your Clients. . .Merger Anyone?

Andrea Albanese Denning
LifeCare Alliance

• Mergers seem to leave a bad taste in most peoples' mouths; however, if an organization wants to offer more programs to their ever growing client list and have help with increased revenue, a smart merger is the best course of action.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

LifeCare Alliance, Serving More Than Just a Meal, a CHOICE.

Andrea Albanese Denning
LifeCare Alliance

• LifeCare Alliance offers seven choices of meals for our Meals-on-Wheels clients and has 20 dining centers to choose from for the more mobile clients. The mission of our program is this: “LifeCare Alliance leads our community in identifying and delivering health and nutrition services to meet the community's changing needs. Diversity and changing demographics is how we nourish the human spirit.”

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Meeting the Needs of Our Diverse Clients: Why Culture Counts in Columbus, Ohio

Andrea Albanese Denning
LifeCare Alliance

• Many older adults and the chronically ill are at increased nutritional and health risk due to low income, uninsured/underinsured status, social isolation, multiple medications, food insecurity and a variety of other factors. Our method of treating clients holistically ensures each client has their nutritional, health care, emotional and psychological needs met.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

REBIRTH: Restoring Elder Bio-Medical Independence and
Restoring Transformational Health

Michelle DiCillo
CAREgiving Institute

• REBIRTH is aimed at improving the health and wellness of elderly Franklin County residents, resulting in delaying entry into assisted living facilities and nursing homes.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Wireless Kiosks: Improving Health and Reducing Costs

Paul Downey
Senior Community Centers

• Use of wireless technology to monitor and provide real-time interventions on senior health issues. The goal is to improve health, thereby reducing ER visits, days in the hospital and delay or eliminate the need for long-term care.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

The Free Farm in San Francisco, California – An Intergenerational Gift

Margaret Dyer-Chamberlain,
The Free Farm

• The Free Farm is an all-volunteer organic farm that gives away all of the produce that it grows. The Farm works with senior centers and senior housing in its neighborhood, creating a beautiful and thriving intergenerational gardening community.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

California's Older Adult Participation in SNAP

Barbara Estrada
California Department of Aging

• California has the lowest older adult participation in the SNAP program nationwide. California Department of Aging and other state agencies have worked together to increase the older adult participation in SNAP.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

One-Time Meal Labeling: A Solution Providing Meal Identification, Food Safety and Nutritional Information

Lilly Frawley, R.D./L.D
Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County

• At Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County, we affix a 4” x 6” label onto every one of our meals. This label provides information about proper reheating instructions, the nutrition facts, the daily menu, and the delivery date. As our clientele grows, the demand for information like this is increasing, and the meal label is one way that we can meet that demand.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)
• Example: Sample Meal Label (PDF)

Teaching Our Children to Care for Future Generations

Lilly Frawley, R.D./L.D
Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County

• Every summer, Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County hosts a college-level internship program in order to help train future dietitians. Students get to work with five registered dietitians, and also learn the various issues and consequences facing the senior population and what nutritional interventions we can take.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

A Caremanagers Perspective on Nutrition and Aging

Doris Haas
Atlas Care Management

• This video combines present day knowledge on nutrition with strategies that are proven to work, as well as other ideas that can improve nutrition and health for the general public.

• Watch the video. (Link to YouTube)
• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Embracing the Senior Palate: A Methodology for Responding to Diversity

Jane Howell
Meals-on-Wheels Greater San Diego, Inc.

• Meals-on-Wheels Greater San Diego has created a methodology for developing new meals and menus more quickly and effectively in the face of a rapidly growing and increasingly diverse senior population. As nutrition needs change based on health requirements and/or tastes, this methodology will help senior nutrition providers respond more rapidly...so no senior goes hungry.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Pet Food Program

Joyce Lapinski
Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County

• Homebound seniors need the affection of their pets but are sometimes unable to feed them or get them shots, or even have them groomed. Pets have shown to make life changing differences in the lives of people. If we help keep the pet healthy, we are helping keep the client healthy.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Sharing Your Garden Bounty with Neighbors in Need: The AmpleHarvest.org Model

Gary Oppenheimer
AmpleHarvest.org

• America has 50+ million food insecure people – people who are either hungry or people who are at real risk of being hungry. At the same time, 40+ million Americans grow food in home gardens, often growing far more than they can use, preserve or give to friends. If locally grown produce could be delivered directly to the neighborhood nutrition program, it would bypass the routing problem and immediately provide a free source of fresh produce to the people who most need it. The AmpleHarvest.org Campaign is designed to make food pantries "visible" to neighborhood gardeners eager to share their excess harvest.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Aging in Place: An Expectation and a Technology Market

Laurie Orlov
Aging in Place Technology Watch

• Technology to help age in place is at its most available and lowest cost to date. Technology promises to help tighten and grow care provider relationships, improving the ability to age more successfully, remain at home longer and more safely, and better weather change over time.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Artificial Nutrition and Hydration in Advanced Alzheimer's Disease:
Quality in End of Life Care

Judith S. Parnes, LCSW
Elder Life Management

• The single most pressing issue in Alzheimer Disease ethics is the use of artificial nutrition and hydration. For those who have lost the capacity to swallow, artificial feeding via a gastrostomy tube has become a very common approach for sustaining life. This widespread practice of tube feeding needs to be carefully reconsidered and for the severely demented patient the practice needs to be evaluated on clinical grounds.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Montgomery County's Senior Nutrition Program: The Secret is Out!

Melanie R. Polk, MMSc, RD, FADA
Senior Nutrition Program, Department of Health, Montgomery County

• Montgomery County's Senior Nutrition Program was referred to as the "best kept secret in the County" by a team of program reviewers. This presentation describes some of the strategies that were used to increase program visibility and increase the number of seniors receiving nutrition services.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Community Living Project (CLP)

Samantha Powell, MS, RD, LD
Meals on Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County

• The Community Living Project is a United Way/Area Agency on Agency sponsored program designed specifically for people struggling with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. The ultimate goal is to keep them out of the hospital and nursing home and at home where they want to be. The nutrition component is a crucial piece to this program.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Facilitating Health Behavior Change in Homebound Seniors

Kathie Robinson, MS, R.D./L.D., C.D.E.
Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County

• Nutrition/Diabetes education is a collaborative process through which people with diabetes, at risk for diabetes, or with other nutrition related chronic disease states gain knowledge and skills to modify behavior and successfully manage disease. Dietitian and volunteer dietetic students provide counsel and support in facilitating client directed behavior change in the homebound senior population.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Service-Learning for Professional Track Dietetics Students

Kathie Robinson, MS, R.D./L.D., C.D.E.
Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County

• Utilizing dietetic students not only enhances their learning but benefits the home-bound elderly population with whom they interact. This allows students to become comfortable with the geriatric population and facilitates their consideration of professional work in this area.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)
• More Information: Making a Difference in the Aging Community: A Service-Learning Initiative for Healthy Aging and Independent Living (HAIL) (PPTX / Slide Deck)

Improving Services for Older Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Those Experiencing Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease

Lester Rosenzweig
Schenectady ARC

• To address the needs associated with the aging of our service population, the agency's new “Aging Committee” (in 2008) addressed facility needs such as accessibility in the residential homes and day programs, caregiver supports, nutrition and other health-related needs. We develop programs and services that could assist our consumers as they age in their residences and community, and facilitate a process to track and enhance services for individuals presenting dementia symptoms.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

One Focus. Many Possibilities.

Brooke Shipbaugh
Cougar Packaging Concepts, Inc.

• Shelf life extension of fresh meals can be the one factor that solves so many challenges that are inhibiting us today, allowing us to meet the nutritional needs of all of our nation's seniors.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

A Home Delivered Meal Programs Has Been Offering Choice Meals Since 2007

Sherry Simon, R.D./L.D.
Meals on Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County

• Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County has been offering a choice of lunch entrees for five years.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)
• More Information: AoA Choices. . .What a Nutrition Program Can Do! (PPT / Slide Deck)

Utilizing Evidence Based Screening Tools to Indicate Clients in Most Need of Nutrition Services

Sherry Simon, R.D./L.D.
Meals on Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County

• Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County has recently expanded its screening process to include additional evidence-based screening tools to better assess clients' needs and health risks.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)
• Examples: Evaluations, Assessments, Intake Forms and Other Sample Tools (PDF)

Healthy at Home in Tarrant County

Donald R. Smith
Area Agency on Aging, Tarrant County

• The Area Agency on Aging of Tarrant County wishes to train and deploy Community Health Navigators to assist the most vulnerable persons in our community to avoid or decrease hospitalizations. These Community Health Navigators will assess where these persons are with the self management of their disease process, and work to help these persons improve their care and self management of their disease process.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Building Strong Seniors and Powerful Programs!

Shawn Sredersas
Mecosta County Senior Center

• This video submission provides an overview of our project which builds on healthy living practices and reinforces the principles of linking together good nutrition and daily activities that promote positive motion.

• Watch the video. (Link to One True Media Video)
• Download the Perspective. (PDF)

Healthy Aging and Independent Living Project – Diabetes and Nutrition Screening and Counseling

Lynn Vargas, R.D./L.D., Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County

• Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County has received funding from the United Way of Tarrant County, which is the designated Area Agency on Aging for Tarrant County, to provide in-home diabetes and nutrition screening and in-depth counseling by Registered/Licensed Dietitians. Follow up of counseling is provided by nutrition students directed by Registered Dietitians at pre-determined intervals. The goal of this project is to reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations of the clients/patients the project has served.

• Download the Perspective. (PDF)
• More Information: Healthy Aging and Independent Living: Community Nutrition Programs (PPTX / Slide Deck)