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Gettysburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Teresa Osborne attended and spoke at the Meals on Wheels Pennsylvania 2018 Conference. This year’s conference concentrated on what actions can be taken to demonstrate the positive effect that home-delivered meal programs have on the health and well-being of seniors.
“The Wolf Administration recognizes that for over four decades, Meals on Wheels programs throughout Pennsylvania have been guided by a simple principle: to support seniors by providing nutrition services, delivering healthy meals, and educating others on the role nutrition services plays in health promotion and disease prevention,” said Secretary Osborne. “Supported by an incredible army of volunteers, we know that the meal deliverer is often a seniors’ only contact with the community and thus serves as a valuable resource in addressing social isolation and other issues that can impact a senior’s capacity to extend their independence and health as they age.”
Meals on Wheels Pennsylvania members, board of directors, and service providers dedicated their time to identifying the steps to be taken that will lead to developing an implementation plan intended to ensure that meal providers, in rural and urban settings throughout Pennsylvania, are best positioned to meet the growing demands of the state’s increasing elderly population. In addition to Secretary Osborne, who highlighted the importance of nutrition services for older Pennsylvanians, attendees also heard from Elsie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America, who shared strategies underway across the country to secure healthcare partnerships as states strive to improve health outcomes for seniors while bending the cost curve.
Meals on Wheels America reports that over 400,000 seniors in Pennsylvania are struggling with hunger. With 125 Meals on Wheels programs currently active in Pennsylvania, state conferences are seeking to provide networking opportunities to build the association’s size and influence. Meals on Wheels Pennsylvania’s association with Meals on Wheels America and the Senior Support Coalition of Pennsylvania allows it to stay in tune with the needs and issues affecting its programs and participants.
To learn more about Meals on Wheels Pennsylvania, click here.
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