Meals on Wheels America and Aetna are collaborating on a new national program to improve access to health and social services for seniors at all stages of medical need — from preventive to post-hospital discharge.
Meals and Wheels and Aetna are trying to improve care coordination, integrating Meals on Wheels’ daily nutritious meals, social support and critical safety checks into a continuum of care required as people age. Meals on Wheels and Aetna will test the model in several markets, and identify best practices to improve vulnerable seniors’ health outcomes.
From that, the joint program intends to create a model that will encourage healthcare entities across the country to utilize home- and community-based service providers to help seniors.
Mark T. Bertolini, Aetna chairman and CEO, noted that more than 75 percent of seniors have at least two chronic conditions.
“Having a reliable support system in place to observe their health on a regular basis can be just as important as the care they receive at the doctor’s office,” he said. “Our work with Meals on Wheels America will help us make better connections with seniors in their homes and communities, and enable us to establish truly meaningful relationships that can improve the lives of this vulnerable population.”
