Adequacy of and satisfaction with delivery and use of home-delivered meals.

For home-delivered meals to have a beneficial impact on older persons, it is important that both delivery of services and use by older persons are adequate. From November 2004 to February 2005, we conducted a random-sample telephone survey of 1505 New York City home-delivered meals recipients, asking them about adequacy of and satisfaction with delivery of services and use of meal services. Fourteen percent of recipients relied solely on program food. Two-thirds prepared other foods themselves. Consumption of fruit, vegetables, and milk was low; 14-20% of recipients consumed each of these less than 1 time per day. Most recipients saw (and about half talked with) the meal deliverer most of the time. Most could contact the meal provider agency, but had not done so. A second stratified sample of 500 meal recipients was surveyed in June 2006 regarding satisfaction with food packaging and labels, food acquisition, meal delivery, and meal variety. About three-fourths of recipients reported satisfaction most of the time with the meals in terms of taste, variety, ease of preparation, healthfulness, and fit to religious or cultural needs. The most satisfied recipients were those who were receiving hot meals, food-secure, without hearing problems, frailer, in better emotional health, with informal social support, and more religious.