Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 13, December 25, 2024
(1)
Eligibility. An older individual who is homebound by reason of
illness, incapacitating disability or other cause is eligible to receive
home-delivered meals. Regardless of age or condition, the spouse of an older
individual may receive home-delivered meals if receipt of the meal is in the
best interest of the homebound older individual under criteria set by the
AAA.
(2)
Individual
assessment. The AAA or the home-delivered meals contractor, subject to
AAA approval, shall establish and utilize procedures for the determination of
an older individual's eligibility for home-delivered meals, including specific
criteria for:
a. Initial assessment of the
older individual's eligibility;
b.
Determination of the number of days per week the older individual has a need
for home-delivered meals; and
c.
Determination of the older individual's need for other home-delivered nutrition
services.
(3)
Requirements for providers. The AAA or contractor shall:
a. Provide for home-delivered meals at least
once a day, five or more days a week;
b. Provide for home-delivered meals to
participants according to the frequency of need determined by procedures
required in subrule 7.21(2). Meals may be hot, cold, frozen, dried, canned or
supplemental foods with a satisfactory storage life;
c. Make arrangements for the availability of
meals to older individuals in weather- and disaster-related emergencies, where
feasible;
d. Provide other
nutrition and supportive services either directly or through referral to meet
the need of the homebound older individual;
e. Provide monthly nutrition education for
home-delivered meal recipients, to include safe food handling of the delivered
meals every six months;
f. With the
consent of the older individual or the older individual's representative, bring
to the attention of appropriate officials for follow-up conditions or
circumstances which place the older individual or the household in imminent
danger. The AAA shall coordinate with other agencies to provide services to the
homebound older individual to reduce dependency and cultural, social and
geographic isolation caused by noneconomic factors.
The provider is not required to provide meals more than five
days per week, but is encouraged to do so.
