Congregate and Café Dining Capstones
Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services (INNU) grantees create and compile materials at the end of their projects to help others learn from their experiences and replicate successes. Review these congregate and café dining-related capstones for inspiration and practical “how-to” information.
Collaborating With Community Partners on a Congregate Meal Delivery Model
To develop an innovative, replicable service delivery model for congregate meals, the Iowa Department on Aging partnered with Heritage Area Agency on Aging to create the Encore Café. This café concept was designed to encourage older adults to participate in congregate meal programs. In particular, the project aimed to attract the younger subpopulation of older adults called Baby Boomers, who had a smaller percentage of participation in recent years. The program revitalized the congregate meal program through new service delivery models including choice menu served buffet-style, salad bars, and more.
Increasing Choice Through a Flexible, Technology-Driven Meal Program
To modernize its congregate dining program, the Albany County Department for Aging and the Erie County Department of Senior Services partnered with local restaurants to give participants more dinning flexibility. The study had a number of positive outcomes, including decreasing feelings of social isolation and also demonstrated the need for more progressive, self-driven services for older adults.
Texas Congregate Meal Initiative
Texas Health and Human Services Commission in collaboration with other partners selected and empowered diverse congregate meal program to implement low-cost, replicable, innovative pilots through a learning collaborative model. Through a comprehensive technical assistance curriculum, this project tested low-cost innovations that targeted congregate meal participation, expanded benefits, and impacted social determinant of health outcomes.
Improving Heart Health Through Diet, Education, and Self-Efficacy
The Carter Burden Network partnered with the Rockefeller University Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Clinical Directors Network to test whether the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) combined with educational, social and behavioral interventions at a congregate meal site could lower blood pressure. The project showed several positive outcomes, including a decrease in blood pressure among participants, and can serve as a blueprint for senior centers nationwide.
The Iowa Café: AAA and Restaurant Partnerships
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Division of Aging and Disability Services developed The Iowa Café to modernize the state's congregate meal program. This initiative transforms traditional meal delivery into appealing restaurant partnerships, allowing older adults to gather and enjoy nutritious meals. The project not only addressed food insecurity but also generated economic stimulus.