Social, Mental, Emotional 

Health Coloring Pages

In this guide, you will find adult coloring 

pages that can be utilized by your program 

to enhance your meal program participants’ 

overall wellbeing. They include a fun, 

relaxing coloring activity as well as simple 

tips to deepen the participants’ knowledge 

and skills in improving their own social, 

emotional, and mental health. Simply print 

the coloring pages and distribute to your 

meal participants. Feel free to make copies 

as needed.

The Older Americans Act Nutrition program 

strives to reduce hunger, food insecurity and 

malnutrition as well as promote socialization, 

health and wellbeing. The meals provided 

by these programs enhance the physical 

well-being of the participants, and these 

programs can also greatly improve the 

social, emotional, and mental health. This 

guide also provides examples of how 

the Administration for Community Living 

Innovations in Nutrition Programs and 

Services grantees are tackling more than just 

the physical health of participants.

Reducing suicide risk in home-delivered 

meal program participants: Georgia State 

University, a recipient of 2018 and 2020 

Administration for Community Living (ACL) 

Innovations in Nutrition Programs and 

Services grants, found that volunteers and 

staff of home-delivered meal programs, 

when trained, were better able to recognize 

warning signs of suicidal thoughts in older 

adult clients and intervene with a safe-fornow plan while connecting them to longterm assistance. Volunteers and staff are 

natural helpers within the older adult clients’ 

lives and may be a solution to combat 

suicide in a population at-risk for suicidal 

thoughts and actions.

Using technology to combat social isolation:

Using innovative technologies to enhance 

its Meals on Wheels program, Interfaith 

Ministries for Greater Houston, a recipient of 

a 2019 Administration for Community Living 

(ACL) Innovations in Nutrition Programs and 

Services grant, is conducting the Connecting 

Seniors to Care (CSC) project. This project 

provides homebound seniors with Alexa 

devices in order to study how use of the 

device affects their overall quality of life and 

Social Determinants of Health. 

Activity-based intervention gives older 

adults something to look forward to: 

New York City Department for the Aging, 

a recipient of a 2020 Administration for 

Community Living (ACL) Innovations in 

Nutrition Programs and Services grant, 

has been implementing Do More, Feel Better 

(DMFB), a volunteer-delivered, selfmanagement program to help older adults 

recover from depression by helping the 

older adults plan pleasant and rewarding 

daily activities. As part of weekly meetings, 

volunteers will help depressed older adults 

set a goal of doing at least one pleasurable 

or rewarding activity each day. These 

goals can include physical activities, social 

activities, or other activities or hobbies that 

have value and meaning for the older adult. 

It is difficult to feel depressed when doing 

valued activities that bring pleasure and 

accomplishment. Engaging in pleasurable 

and rewarding activities will help break the 

vicious cycle of depression and improve 

perspective, mood, interest level, energy and 

overall quality of life.

This project was supported in part by grant number 90PPNU0002 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human 

Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and 

conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Social interactions are important for one’s health and well-being. Research has shown many health 

benefits to socialization, including: 

• Increased appetite

• Delayed memory loss

• Improved self-esteem

• Intellectual engagement and stimulation

• Reduced risk of depression and anxiety

• Improved immune system and cardiovascular health.

“Health, Well-Being, and/or Social Connections in a Remote Environment.” National Resource Center on Nutrition & Aging, 

31 August 2020, https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/nutrition/HealthWellBeingSocialConnections_508.pdf.
Have you ever felt lonely? If so, you aren’t the only one. More than one in five adults report feeling 

lonely or isolated either often or always. Actions such as getting a good night’s sleep, finding an 

enjoyable hobby, or finding ways to connect with like-minded people may help combat these 

feelings.

“Managing Loneliness.” NIHCM Foundation, 07 December 2020, https://nihcm.org/publications/managing-loneliness.
Meals from congregate meal and home-delivered meal programs are designed to provide a 

balance of nutrients, and when you eat better, you feel better! Eating with a focus on nutrient-rich 

foods, including a variety of fruits and vegetables, and consuming adequate protein, whole grains 

and low-fat/fat-free dairy products may help improve our mood. How could you include one new 

healthy food this week?

“Does What You Eat Affect Your Mood?” Cleveland Clinic healthessentials, 12 January 2021, https://health.clevelandclinic.

org/bad-mood-look-to-your-food/.
Physical activity isn’t just good for your body. It can also improve your mental health! Find ways 

to enjoy gentle movement most days of the week. Physical activity does not require a gym 

membership. Simply engaging in activities such as walking, tai chi, or even intentional movement 

while sitting can have positive benefits. 
It is no secret that we usually feel better when we get a good night’s sleep. Sleep is important at any 

age, and there are things we can do to improve our sleep quality and routine.

• Engage in physical and social activities during the day

• Stick to a regular sleep schedule; go to bed and get up at the same time each day

• Play soft music and eliminate screens (television, computer, and smart phones) prior to bedtime

• Develop a soothing bedtime routine to signal to your brain it is time to begin relaxing

•

Molony, Sheila. “’May’ You Sleep Better for Health and Longevity.” National Council on Aging, 30 April 2021, https://www.

ncoa.org/article/may-you-sleep-better-for-health-and-longevity.
Stress happens to all of us, and many changes that occur as we age may induce additional stress 

in our lives. Learning to manage stress can go a long way in ensuring mental and emotional health. 

Developing habits such as journaling, meditation or prayer, physical activity, or even learning a new 

skill can help manage stress when it arises.

“Stress Vibrant Minds.” Mental Health Association of Maryland, https://www.mhamd.org/what-we-do/outreach-andeducation/vibrant-minds/healthy-minds/stress/. Accessed 29 August 2022.