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Beth A. Rabinovich, PhD, Suzanne W. McNutt, MS, RD, and Robert C. Ficke, MA. Westat, 1650 Research Blvd., Rockville, MD 20850, 301-315-5965, bethrabinovich@westat.com
The U. S. Administration on Aging’s (AoA) Elderly Nutrition Program (ENP), established with the enactment of the Older Americans Act Amendments in 1972, is the largest Title III program in terms of dollars spent and clients served. The OAA specifies targeting elderly with the greatest social and economic need, and each year approximately three million clients receive either congregate or home delivered meals. The 2002-2003 Survey of Older Americans Act Participants, a nationally representative telephone survey sponsored by AOA, evaluated the effectiveness of targeting and the impact of participation in AoA funded programs, including the ENP. The survey instrument was based on the Nutrition Screening Initiative’s (NSI) checklist, widely used by the network on aging to assess the nutritional status of clients. We modified the NSI so that the number of servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and lean meat equivalent could be collected. Fifty percent of the home delivered meals clients, and 38 percent of the congregate meals clients had incomes under $10,000 per year, demonstrating effective targeting to older persons in economic need. More than 50 percent of both the home-delivered and congregate meals clients reported that approximately half or more than half of their daily food intake was supplied by the ENP program. While less than twenty-five percent of the clients in both services consumed the minimum number of recommended servings based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Guide Pyramid, their daily food intake exceeded that of elderly participants in the National Health Examination and Nutrition Survey
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able
Keywords: Elderly, Nutrition
Related Web page: www.gpra.net/
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.