This article is part of Eldercare Review Vendor Viewpoint series featuring expert contributions nominated by our subscribers and reviewed by our editorial team.

Catherine Macpherson,  Mom's Meals | Eldercare Review | Caregivers Home-Delivered Meals Service of the Year

Supporting Health and Independence Through Home-Delivered Meals

Catherine Macpherson, MS, RDN, Senior Vice President and Chief Nutrition Officer , Mom's Meals

Senior Nutrition Authority

Editor’s Note: For eldercare leaders and caregivers, nutrition is central to independence, chronic care and dignity at home.Macpherson’s perspective matters because it shows how home-delivered meals can ease caregiver strain while helping older adults maintain health, choice and daily stability.

Imagine enjoying a meal that reminds you of comforting home-cooking. One that is prepared to your tastes and preferences and is appropriate for any chronic or other health condition you may have. Now imagine enjoying a new dish that is equally as tasty and supports healthier eating at your next meal, and two new meals again the next day.

Quality nutrition plays a critical role in rebuilding and maintaining strength, managing chronic conditions and supporting overall well-being. Yet for caregivers, either trained professionals or devoted family members, attending to it can be very time-consuming and even overwhelming. Among addressing the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), food shopping and meal preparation can take a large portion of a caregiver’s day, particularly when addressing condition needs and incorporating a variety of ingredients and flavors. Medically tailored home-delivered meals, on the other hand, simplify healthy eating, to ensure individuals receive balanced nutrition while freeing caregivers to focus on other ADLs and more personalized, hands-on care.

The convenience of medically tailored home-delivered meals

To help simplify mealtime without compromising nutrition, medically tailored home-delivered meals are a practical and proven solution to support people with chronic conditions with the nutrition they need, and improve overall health and well-being. Medically tailored meals also promote a more sustainable, cost-effective approach to health care. And no one expects caregivers to be personal chefs, but families and individuals can opt to have chef-crafted and dietitian-designed meals delivered right to their homes.

Medically tailored home-delivered meals provide convenience to help:

Take the guesswork out of ensuring dietary needs are met
Reduce meal preparation time, including shopping and meal planning
Free caregivers to focus on other caregiving needs

Mom’s Meals medically tailored meals
As a provider of the most comprehensive food as medicine solutions nationwide, including medically tailored home-delivered meals, Mom’s Meals brings comfort and peace of mind with every delivery.

About Mom’s Meals medically tailored meals:

• 9 delicious menus, more than 60 different meal choices and a wide range of options including sides and beverages
• Designed by registered dietitians and professional chefs to please the palate, as well as support most common nutrition-sensitive conditions and dietary needs
• Crafted from high-quality ingredients and free from ingredients like added MSG, partially hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, added trans fats, artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, and preservatives banned in the European Union
• Produced in USDA- and FDA-inspected facilities, providing the highest level of compliance with federal regulations governing food production
• Ready to heat and eat Whether helping someone better manage a chronic condition, recover from illness, continue to live independently, or just live healthier, our solutions arrive reliably to homes even in rural or underserved areas.

Mom’s Meals integrated food as medicine solutions:

• Medically tailored meals
• Produce and pantry boxes
• Nutrition counseling and education
• Oral nutrition supplements
• Shelf-stable, kosher and halal meals

Preserving dignity and independence at home
When thinking about our future, most Americans — nearly 90% of us — say we prefer to age in place, in our homes and communities.* Staying at home means greater independence, however it can come with challenges as a person’s health and lifestyle changes. As we get older, mobility and dexterity may lessen, energy and stamina can decrease and appetite as well as thirst often dwindle. Finding the physical and mental motivation to make healthy meals can become more difficult for older adults. Some people, particularly those who live alone, may find preparing healthy food to be a chore and choose to skip meals or settle for quick, convenience foods that take little effort, but are most often less healthy.

These habits can begin to take a toll on health, energy levels and overall well-being. Home meal delivery services can address these challenges by bringing nutritious meals direct to the home, giving individuals choice over what and when they eat — and with this, more control over their daily lives. Most people aging in place want a say in their care, and home-delivered meals can provide the nutritional support needed to stay healthier with dignity and independence.

Medically tailored home-delivered meals make a proven difference in the management of nutrition-sensitive chronic health conditions and maintaining independence for a better quality of life. Caregivers can get relief by relying on quality nutrition and the convenience of ready-to-heat-and-eat home-delivered meals, so they can continue with the noble and essential work they are doing.

How individuals may qualify for home-delivered meals from Mom’s Meals at no cost to them

Some Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plan members who are disabled, require assistance with grocery shopping and/or preparing meals and their plan offers a paid meal benefit may be eligible for government or health plan assistance to receive home-delivered meals from Mom’s Meals at little or no cost to them.

An individual or caregiver can contact their health plan to see if the individual is eligible for a home-delivered meals benefit. A local Area Agency on Aging is another resource to find out about government-funded programs a person may qualify for. Even if the person does not qualify for assistance, meals can be purchased direct from Mom’s Meals.

Find out if someone you care for may qualify:

Visit momsmeals.com/ECQualify
Or scan
There is help available. Medically tailored home-delivered meals make a proven difference in the management of nutrition-sensitive chronic health conditions and maintaining independence for a better quality of life. Caregivers can get relief by relying on quality nutrition and the convenience of ready-to-heat-and-eat home-delivered meals, so they can continue with the noble and essential work they are doing.

* https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/info-2014/livable-communities-facts-and-figures.html

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The articles from these contributors are based on their personal expertise and viewpoints, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of their employers or affiliated organizations.