Who Qualifies for Meals on Wheels? (2024)

Meals on Wheels is a win-win scenario for local taxpayers and seniors in need of assistance.

Those aged 60 years and older are eligible to receive Meals on Wheels. Those younger than 60 but homebound and unable to provide nutritious meals for themselves also qualify for the program. Caregivers and spouses of recipients are also eligible.

Through the collective effort for local counties and communities, Meals on Wheels can save lives, provide nutrition and independence to seniors at a fraction of the cost of assisted living or nursing facilities.

Who is eligible?

For those that are unable to prepare nutritious meals for themselves regularly or are unable to afford a healthy meal, they may be eligible for home-delivered meals. These meals are available both long-term and temporarily if you were recovering from a surgery or severe illness (Meals-on-wheels.com).

Homebound seniors unable to shop and cook for themselves are eligible to receive Meals on Wheels. Seniors, aged 60 years or older, are eligible to receive Meals on Wheels. If you are the spouse or caregiver taking care of a senior who is receiving meals, you may also receive Meals on Wheels.

Those under the age of 60 but are homebound and unable to take care of themselves or cook can receive Meals on Wheels for a higher price (Council on Aging).

To qualify, you have to fill out an online application as well as receive an in-home assessment. Appointments for in-home evaluations are scheduled through your local Meals on Wheels organization.

Those under the age of 60 can participate with a Department of Human Services assessment to measure their need. If you’re willing to pay the full price of the meal, it averages up being $5 per meal. You don’t require an assessment and can start immediately. Please note that the average price of the meal does depend on the area and organization (Senior Services Plus).

The specifics of eligibility vary by county or program. The most common requirements for an applicant by the organization are as follows (Need Help Paying Bills):

• Is homebound
• Is unable to take care of himself/herself
• Is disabled or has a severe medical condition
• Is unable to attend local food pantries and senior centers due to emotional or physical barriers
• Is elderly and unable to obtain or prepare full meals on their own
• Is lacking transportation to a local grocery store

Who started Meals on Wheels?

Meals on Wheels in the United States started in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1954, Margaret Moffat Toy, a social worker, pioneered the program to provide nourishment to homebound seniors and other “shut-ins.”

The vulnerable group would have gone hungry under normal circ*mstances. At the time, the volunteer group consisted of high school students dubbed “Platter Angels” (Wikipedia).

What is the cost of Meals on Wheels?

Meals on Wheels gives a high value for providing freshly prepared ready-to-eat meals delivered to you. The exact price an individual pays depends on their need and ability to pay (Meals-on-wheels.com).

Because Meals on Wheels operates as a nonprofit, they rely heavily on donations, volunteer labor, and an assortment of contributions from local charities or groups of people. For those under the age of 60 but want to use the services, they are required to pay a higher price compared with those who usually qualify. The higher price difference tends to amount to about $1.50 to $2 more than the regular price, which is about $6.50 per meal (Council on Aging).

The price of Meals on Wheels for one year per recipient is close to the cost of one month’s stay in a semi-private nursing home. Typically, Medicaid will cover the nursing home cost; therefore, taxpayers end up saving a tremendous amount of money in the long run by supporting Meals on Wheels. Meals on Wheels is a win-win for everyone in a community (NPR).

Each local branch creates particular payment policies. Contact your local area for the specifics (Medicare).

What if you’re unable to pay?

Even if you cannot afford to pay for Meals on Wheels, they will continue to deliver to you. The program is not set up to function based on the donations of those in need. The program operates on the need to provide fresh meals for those who want to stay healthy and independent.

If you are unable to pay, donations are much appreciated. The asking price for contributions is around $4 to offset their costs. Some families are not even able to donate that. In the long run, anything helps as it is mostly a volunteer service funded by grants and local nonprofits (Council on Aging).

These donations help offset the costs of containers, delivery, and food. Payment for those that are eligible is never a requirement to receive meals (Senior Services Plus). All donations go directly back into the program to help provide meals and food for those in need. These help offset the operating cost (Need Help Paying Bills). For those with limited income, sliding scales are used to determine the recommended payment. Some Meals on Wheels programs even accept food stamps (Medicare).

Why is Meals on Wheels important?

Meals on Wheels is an essential part of local communities with seniors in need. The program is designed to provide a sense of independence for homebound seniors and disabled individuals while enhancing their health during a vulnerable time in their lives.

This program is vital because it provides many benefits for communities. Some of the benefits are as follows (Meals on Wheels WNY):

• Those in need receive proper nutrition.
• Companionship is provided through interaction with volunteers and delivery staff.
• It allows seniors to live an independent life.
• Caregivers and family members have peace of mind knowing someone is checking on their loved on daily.
• It builds community relationships among neighbors.
• Taxpayers save on the healthcare cost of their vulnerable neighbors.
• The price of assisted living for one year vs. Meals on Wheels is $100,000 vs. $2,900 annually.

Studies have shown that Meals on Wheels has positive effects on their community. They create better conditions for nutrition, physical balance (fewer falls), and fewer hospital visits (NPR). For seniors who do not live close to family members and lack transportation, it can be life-saving.

Many seniors are often unable to make grocery trips for themselves. Seniors with declining health or with disabilities may not be able to move around the house or even cook for themselves. All of these barriers can make getting healthy food for seniors in need near impossible without assistance.

Meals on Wheels allows them to continue their lives as independently as possible saving them and the taxpayers money and time (Medicare). For isolated and homebound seniors, this can provide daily social interaction where they would typically have none. Isolation and loneliness can have adverse effects on one’s physical and mental health (Medicare).

The top priority for Meals on Wheels program goes to those who are homebound and unable to prepare their meals. These programs are so vital to their communities because they provide those with the most significant physical and economic needs to be taken care of with a low-cost solution.

The demand for these services is high and usually required in almost every county in the nation. Due to the high demand, some local areas may implement a waiting list to serve everyone who applies. It’s unfortunate, but some people may have to wait up to several weeks before literally, start receiving their meals.

Meals on Wheels also provides professional case management to work with frail seniors to remain in their own home instead of in a nursing facility.

It is a common practice for social workers from nonprofit organizations and government agencies to conduct regular visits. Seniors in need of additional support are provided referrals for assistance with various emergencies and monitored for ongoing support (Need Help Paying Bills).

Additional services provided

Outside of food delivery, other services are available to individuals in need. Some seniors may require in-home help such as cleaning laundry and personal care. Most Meals on Wheels programs can arrange free to low-cost medical care. Transportation to doctors’ appointments can be provided through programs as well.

Social workers help vulnerable seniors with housing and rental assistance. If there was ever a case of domestic abuse, social workers can step in and help.

Another service available at some locations is free pet food. Unfortunately, disabled seniors with pets are usually unable to purchase pet food. The assistance started when it was brought to people’s attention that recipients of the Meals on Wheels program were found giving some of the food to their cats and dogs (Need Help Paying Bills).

Is Meals on Wheels healthy?

Meals on Wheels provides nutritious, fresh, and convenient meals for its recipients. Through delivery, seniors can experience a sense of independence. The menus are reviewed by a dietitian to ensure maximum recommended daily nutrition (Meals-on-wheels.com). The nutritionist on staff is often licensed (Senior Services Plus). Other dietary options available are low-sugar, low-sodium, and vegetarian meals (Meals-on-wheels.com).

Recipients tend to receive two of these nutritious meals a day. Most often it’s a hot lunch and a cold dinner. The two plates of food have 66% of your daily recommended nutrition for seniors.

Many times, seniors are also provided snacks in addition to the plates of food. The added perk enables them to have social interaction with a Meals on Wheels volunteer (Meals on Wheels WNY). These snacks tend to fill in the final nutritional requirements totaling about 2000 calories a day (NPR).

There are even cultural and religious options available. Kosher and Halal meals are common requests. If you have a specific cultural request, more often than not it can be met (Meals-on-wheels.com).

Does Meals on Wheels deliver on holidays?

Meals on Wheels does not deliver on holidays. To offset this, they provide frozen meals ahead of holidays. For individuals who need meals on the weekends, extra frozen meals are delivered on Fridays (Senior Services Plus).

Depending on the circ*mstance, a week’s worth of frozen meals is delivered in advance to offset long holidays, weekends, or bad weather (Meals-on-wheels.com).

Is Meals on Wheels covered by Medicare?

Medicare Part A and Part B do not cover Meals on Wheels. The only time Medicare covers food is during an inpatient hospital visit. Part B does cover some limited home care services, but they do not include a meal delivery service (Medicare).

Medicare Advantage plans can be acquired through private insurance companies that are approved by Medicare. Medicare Advantage can coordinate with Meals on Wheels to deliver to seniors. The service is limited though. If you are recovering from surgery, they can provide up to four weeks of meals. If you have chronic health issues, you may qualify for up to two weeks of meals per year (Medicare).

Other possible government financing

Sometimes, Meals on Wheels is authorized as part of a home- community-based waiver through Medicaid. These waivers can help subsidize the cost of Meals on Wheels for those with low income (Meals-on-wheels.com).

About a third of Meals on Wheels money comes from the federal government. Local governments, foundations, and charitable individuals provide the rest of the funds. Each local Meals on Wheels is funded differently. Some Meals on Wheels programs are so underfunded they depend on Community Development Block Grants to stay afloat (NPR).

Who is Meals on Wheels funded by?

Meals on Wheels is never funded the same way twice. Places like the local Salvation Army, Catholic charities, community action charities, and churches try to provide free Meals on Wheels service when they are able (Need Help Paying Bills).

Sometimes, through the Older Americans Act, private nonprofits are able to receive about 40% of their annual budget for this service. The rest tends to be donated, fundraised, and come from grants ( Council on Aging).

Is Meals on Wheels a nonprofit organization?

Though the specific local Meals on Wheels may be a nonprofit organization, they rely heavily on the help of separate nonprofits and any domestic help available to them (Need Help Paying Bills). Sometimes, they are not a stand-alone organization for a local area. In these cases, the program becomes a collaboration between the government and the community (Council on Aging).

Final thoughts

Meals on Wheels is an integral part of many aging and disabled seniors. Through the effort of local communities, they can come together to provide nutrition, social interaction, safety, and convenience to an aging population in need.

These services cost a fraction of nursing facilities annually. While the government does offer assistance to those that wish to help, it ends up being a tiny part of local budgets.

For those unable to travel to the grocery store or provide for their meals, this program is a lifesaver. It allows seniors to enjoy the comfort of their own home, see a friendly face, and live an independent and healthy life.