Grant Boosts Health for Older Adults with Nutritious Meals After Hospital Stays

A grant from the Luverne Community Foundation is helping to boost nutrition and successful recovery for older adults after a hospital stay. Through Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota’s (LSS) Prescription Meals service they receive healthy meals delivered right to their door.

LSS Prescription Meals collaborates with local hospitals to deliver nutritious food to older adults when they return home from the hospital. Volunteers deliver the meals to recipients once a day, providing regular visits and safety checks as well.

The goal is to reduce hospital readmissions and emergency room visits by ensuring that older adults have access to proper nutrition while they are recovering. Accessing healthy food can be difficult for older adults who may have limited mobility or few friends and family nearby. Since LSS received the grant in May, volunteers have delivered more than 160 home-style meals to 26 individuals recovering after hospital stays in the Luverne area.

 “These daily visits from volunteers can be a great reassurance for patients’ families, especially those that live long distance,” said Sarah Anderson, regional director with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota. “These meals mean individuals have one less thing to worry about as they focus on their recovery.”

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota partners with seven local hospitals throughout the state to offer Prescription Meals free of cost to individuals recently discharged from the hospital. More than 70 percent of Luverne-area residents who received meal deliveries chose to continue this service through private pay following their recovery.

“We are thankful for the ongoing support of the Luverne Area Community Foundation,” Anderson said. “Their support means more older adults in our community will get back to their regular routines and stay healthy after a hospital stay.”