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Meals on Wheels

When the kitchen comes to you

Meals that are delivered to homebound clients are critical to maintaining independence and allowing clients to remain in their own homes. Home-delivered meals are often the first in-home service that an older adult receives, and the program is a primary access point for other home and community-based services. Individuals who receive home-delivered meals tend to have more health problems than congregate participants do, and may have become homebound because of increasing age or short- or long-term health problems.

Call your local community center

Who is eligible for home-delivered meals?

  1. Individuals who are 60 years of age or older and homebound* by reason of injury, illness, or an incapacitating disability or be otherwise isolated, or
  2. The spouse or disabled dependent child of any age who resides with a senior who is eligible under, if it is in the best interest of the homebound client, or
  3. Individuals who are 60 years of age or older, and
    • Physically or mentally predominately unable to shop for or safely prepare meals to meet minimal nutrition requirements, or
    • Have an inadequate support system for food shopping or meal preparation, or
    • Are unable to tolerate a group situation due to physical or mental disability or substance abuse.

*Homebound: When leaving home is a major effort, and leaving home unassisted is not normally possible. When leaving home, it must be to get medical care, or for infrequent non-medical reasons, such as a trip to get a haircut, attend religious service, adult day care, etc…

In addition, home-delivered meal participants must meet the following criteria:

  • Willing to eat the meal within a reasonable time, such as within 30 minutes of delivery, or refrigerated on arrival and eaten within 48 hours or discarded after 48 hours of refrigeration; and
  • Approved for eligibility by the service provider; and
  • Live within the service area boundaries designated by the service provider; or
  • Live outside the service area boundaries and can make arrangements to have a meal picked up and delivered to the eligible client’s home.

Eligible participants make a voluntary contribution!

How do I get approved for home-delivered meals?

In order to provide meals to a homebound older person, nutrition service providers must determine eligibility for home-delivered meals and any other appropriate services by conducting an assessment.

Initial Assessment

  1. The initial assessment should be conducted in person. This initial assessment should focus both on the individual’s strengths and limitations. Other means of realistically obtaining consistent and adequate meals such as shopping assistance, assistance from friends and family, attending a congregate site and homemaking services should be explored. Other assistance, including other community services, may reduce the need for home-delivered meals and help determine the level of service priority.
  2. The initial assessment/screening, including the required OAA NAPIS data, nutrition risk assessment, and ADL and IADL needs, shall be completed within the period designated by the service provider.
  3. The nutrition screening checklist should be completed by each participant once per year.
  4. Program applicants who are determined ineligible to receive home-delivered meals should be directed to the nearest congregate nutrition site, other appropriate food assistance programs, and/or other community services.

Reassessment

  1. The purpose of reassessments is to determine if a participant’s need for home-delivered meals still exists and at what level.
  2. Participants who originally were determined to need meals for a few weeks, such as those recovering from surgery or illness, should be reassessed before the end of that service period to determine if their need for meals still exists. If the participant continues to need home-delivered meals, services should continue and an appropriate reassessment schedule should be determined.
  3. Participants receiving home-delivered meals that are expected to need the service for long periods should be reassessed at least every six months to a year, depending on the unique needs of the person receiving the service. Annual reviews must be performed in-person. Six-month reviews may be performed over the telephone if it is not feasible to meet the participant in-person.
  4. If a participant is no longer eligible to receive home-delivered meals, the service provider should direct them to the nearest congregate nutrition site or to other appropriate food assistance services.

Cost and donations

Eligible participants make a voluntary contribution. No eligible person is refused service who is unable to contribute. The Meals on Wheels program is only partially funded by federal grants, covering about 25% of the cost of the program. Therefore, the program depends heavily on participant contributions, and donations from individuals and businesses in order to continue delivering meals.

Where can you call for questions or apply in person?

Union County

1504 N Albany St, La Grande, OR
541-963-7532

Baker County

2810 Cedar St, Baker City, OR
541-523-6591

Wallowa County

702 NW 1st St, Enterprise, OR
541-426-3840

Grant County

Senior Programs serviced by the county
Click the image for their website

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