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Meals On Wheels Clients: Measurable Differences In The Likelihood Of Aging In Place Or Being Hospitalized.
Sarah E Walsh1, France Marie Weaver2, Jennifer Chubinski3
1Sarah E. Walsh (swalsh8@emich.edu), Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Health Affairs (Project Hope)
|March 4, 2024
Summary
Meals on Wheels (MOW) participation did not affect overall community residence for older adults. However, MOW use improved continued residence for Black, frail, or Medicaid-enrolled seniors, though it slightly increased hospitalization risk for frail users.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Home-delivered meal programs, like Meals on Wheels (MOW), are partially funded by the Older Americans Act.
- Understanding MOW's impact on health services and aging in place for Medicare beneficiaries is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the relationship between MOW participation and continued community residence and hospitalization risk.
- To analyze these relationships among diverse Medicare beneficiaries (by gender, race, Medicaid enrollment, and frailty).
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2013-2020).
- Analyzed Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older.
- Examined outcomes in the subsequent year following MOW program use.
Main Results:
- Overall, MOW users and non-users had similar likelihoods of remaining in the community.
- Continued community residence was higher for MOW users among Black, Medicaid-enrolled, and frail individuals.
- MOW use was marginally linked to increased hospitalization risk, particularly for frail users.
Conclusions:
- MOW program beneficiaries are a heterogeneous group nationwide.
- Program benefits vary across different demographic and health subgroups.
- MOW may be particularly beneficial for specific vulnerable older adult populations to support aging in place.
