Leadership Imperatives to Improve Access for Older Adults to the Meals-on-Wheels Programs in California and Florida, Post-COVID-19

Abstract

The United States is witnessing a growing aging population stemming from medical advancements allowing people to live decades longer than the previous generations. The Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA) was the first federal-level initiative providing comprehensive services for older persons. Title III-C: The Nutrition Service Program of OAA endeavors to “(i) reduce hunger and food insecurity among older individuals, (ii) promote socialization of older individuals, (iii) promote the health and well-being of older individuals, and (iv) delay adverse health conditions for older individuals. Title III-C2: the Home-delivered meals or MOWs program cannot keep up with the demands for their services and have waitlists across the U.S. This descriptive qualitative study used the multiple case study design. Two states with the highest population of older adults, California, and Florida, were examined. Semi-structured interviews were conducted via telephone, and post-reflection memos were created after each interview, along with the completion of a comprehensive document review. Interviews revealed that approximately 499 older adults in California and 22,520 older adults in Florida are waiting for access to MOWs. Kotter’s 8-Step change model was used to formulate a plan for change. This study contributes to the knowledge of the challenges faced by older adults and MOWs programs, and it also highlights how leaders responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.