THE MOBILE MEAL PROGRAM
You’ve heard the name but do you know what it represents? Does it affect you
or someone you care for?
The Mobile Meal Program (also called Home Delivered Meals) was established
by the Older Americans Act to meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The
program is designed to meet 1/3 of an individual’s daily nutritional needs.
It is also designed as a “daily intake” for participants.
The program is monitored by the State Division of Aging and coordinated by
the State Aging and Adult Services (our local AAA Director is Maughn Guymon)
The local program is sponsored by Carbon County Governments. Funding for the
program comes from the Federal and State government, Carbon County, and
Price City.
All participants on the Mobile Meal Program must be assessed and only those
individuals who have been determined to be nutritionally in need or who have
a written prescription from their physician for MM are eligible.
As defined in the Older Americans Act, the program was designed to meet the
needs of persons 60 years of age and older. Those individuals under 60 years
of age may participate in the program at a cost of $6.25 per meal and a
prescription from your doctor. (Exceptions may
be made for the meal fee for the handicapped and the disabled). This applies
to the Mobile Meal Program and the daily lunches at the centers. Individuals
60 years and older are provided the opportunity to voluntarily and
anonymously contribute a suggested donation of $3.00 per meal toward the
cost of the service rendered.
Home delivered meals are available 5 days a week. East Carbon and Price
residents receive 5 hot meals (frozen meals will be delivered for the
weekend upon request).
Participants in the Mobile Meals Program must be home to receive the meal.
The meal delivery person is required to have visual contact with the client.
This is to ensure the client is safe and mobile within the home. Liability
issues prevent our drivers from entering a home when no one is present. It
is appreciated when clients call to let us know when they will not be home
so a meal will not be prepared that day.
When a client knows they will not be home on a certain day, they can call us
2 working days ahead of time and a frozen meal will be delivered. For
example call us on Monday to let us know you will be “out” on Wednesday and
would like a frozen meal. On Tuesday the driver will deliver the meal.
The guidelines have changed from “you must be homebound” to “assistance with
meeting your nutritional needs”. So, some days you feel well enough to get
out of the house and join us for the lunch meal at the center. Other days,
when you are not up to it (say you are home with the flu) we can bring a
Mobile Meal to you. We are still required to fill out all of the paper work
required for the Mobile Meal Program, as well as a prescription from your
doctor which can be faxed to our office.
Please feel free to call for more information on this program and I will be
more than happy to answer your questions.
Bonnie Bell
Mobile Meal Director
Carbon County Senior Center
435-637-5080 Ex. 14
