Factors affecting the demand for congregate meals at nutrition sites

This paper examines the relative importance of factors affecting attendance by elderly persons at congregate meal sites, with particular attention to need and service variables. A 25% systematic random sample survey of nutrition projects was conducted; those project sites where attendance was not limited by a lack of capacity were then analyzed. A demand model which predicts the number of daily meals served at a congregate site was estimated via generalized least squares regression methods. The study determined that measures of the quality of services provided--such as method of food preparation, type of building used, and the presence of other nutrition programs in the community--were more important in predicting attendance at nutrition sites than conventional demographic measures of need such as persons with incomes below poverty, minority status, or living alone.