Leveraging COVID-19 Era Lessons Learned to Transform Congregate Meal Programs for the Next 50 Years

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The congregate meal program is a foundational service, connecting older adults to a range of community-based long-term services and supports. The COVID-19 public health pandemic restricted access to or closed many congregate meal programs – further driving down already declining program participation and in many cases, changing the way these services are offered. To meet the evolving needs of today’s seniors, congregate meal programs must continue to modernize. Join staff from Meals on Wheels Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky and Milwaukee Department on Aging as they share research- and practice-informed efforts to address the nutrition needs of the diversity of older adults served / underserved by their congregate meal programs. Human centered design principles among others, were employed to design and evaluate new service delivery concepts and engage new partners, position these organizations to better advocate for the regulatory and programmatic changes needed to provide more inclusive and modernized programming.

Dr. Uche Akobundu

Senior Director, Nutrition Strategy

Meals on Wheels America

Dr. Akobundu is a Registered Dietitian and serves as the Senior Director of Nutrition Strategy at Meals on Wheels America where she leads the development and implementation of the Association’s strategy on nutrition and malnutrition. This work includes the design and execution of projects that demonstrate and strengthen the evidence base for senior nutrition programs. In addition, she works collaboratively at the national level to build knowledge and skills among nutrition and aging professionals in healthcare integration, business acumen development, program evaluation, and food service management arenas. She also serves as the director of the National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging, awarded to Meals on Wheels America by the Administration for Community Living of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Akobundu holds a Masters of Nutrition with a concentration in public health from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Linda Hand

Aging Director/ADRC Supervisor

Washburn County Unit on Aging

Linda Hand is the Aging Director/Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) Supervisor for Washburn County Government, Wisconsin. Prior, Linda served as Elder Benefit Specialist, Nutrition Director, and then Aging Director for the non-profit Senior Resource Center of Sawyer County, WI.Over the years, Linda has contributed to several different non-profit and community organizations, volunteering her event planning, fundraising, advocating, and grant writing skills. Linda currently serves as an elected official for the City of Hayward as an Alderperson and a representative for the Sherman & Ruth Weiss Community Library.Linda has a degree in Gerontology from Northwood Technical College and certifications from UW Eau Claire in Professional & Advanced Grant Writing.She loves spending time with her grandchildren, fishing, and gardening.

Susan Stiles (Moderator)

Senior Director, Healthy Aging Innovations

National Council on Aging

Susan Stiles, PhD, provides leadership in the design and development of consumer products that inspire, educate, and activate older adults. She’s been instrumental in bringing the Aging Mastery Program® to market and scaling it nationwide via strategic alliances and business partnerships. Stiles has 20+ years of experience in design thinking, multimedia, strategic communications, and management consulting.

Jennifer Steele

Chief Executive Officer, Meals on Wheels Southwest OH & Northern KY

Meals on Wheels

Jennifer Steele is the CEO of Meals on Wheels Southwest OH & Northern KY, a nonprofit that delivers essential services allowing seniors to remain healthy, happy, and independent in their homes. She has over 15 years of diverse experience in inventive and inclusive leadership positions in the nonprofit sector. Over the last few years, Jennifer has led her organization through transformative change, through a strategic merger with Cincinnati Area Senior Services. The innovative nonprofit leadership by Jennifer has provided major community impact and successfully resulted in a $4 million grant from McKenzie Scott, which will help Jennifer and her team tackle the “Crisis on Aging” in Greater Cincinnati with creative long-term solutions.

Stacy Dye

SVP/GM, Insights and Analytics

RDI Sightline

Stacy works with organizations across the United States to leverage the power of research and insights to fuel consumer knowledge and business growth. During her 20+ years in research, she has worked with clients across a broad range of industries to drive understanding, acceptance, and ultimately usage of research as a tool to improve the lives of consumers. Stacy has worked on multiple large-scale projects related to the customer journey of the senior population and specifically how their lives can be enhanced and improved by removing barriers to product and service usage.