Introduction

“Times...they are changing” may be a cliché, but it 

is true, and the changing times affect how nutrition 

programs function every day and their need to 

change to meet both current and future needs. This 

brief will address components of quality nutrition 

services and provide key insights that demonstrates 

that the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program (OAA 

NP) provides quality products and services. It will 

also address some aspects of the role that the OAA 

NP may play in home and community-based services 

(HCBS) and health care.

What is quality?

The definition of quality depends on who you 

ask. A common definition might be, “I know it 

when I see it,” but the components of quality 

might be more specific than that. The definition 

may be different if the audience are social 

service agencies, food assistance programs, 

home and community-based (HCBS) providers, 

healthcare entities, public health organizations, 

publicly or privately funded organizations or an 

individual. Because the OAA NP is functioning 

in a social, healthcare, publicly and privately 

funded HCBS system that is attempting to 

be more person-centered and appealing to a 

diverse group of people, there is a wide degree 

of diversity of definitions.

How does quality apply to the Older 

Americans Act Nutrition Program

(OAA NP)? 

The OAA NP is producing products (congregate 

and home-delivered meals, including special 

dietary meals or possibly “medically-tailored 

meals”) and services (nutrition screening/

assessment, education, counseling, referrals 

to food assistance and other economic 

benefits, senior center activities and 

coordination/collaboration with services such 

as transportation). The OAA NP whether at the 

federal, state, Area Agency on Aging (AAA) or 

local level needs to look at current quality as well 

as what quality means for the future given the 

changes in diversity of the older adult population, 

societal expectations, science, technology, 

media, healthcare, social services, home and 

community-based care and long-term services 

and supports, and funding.

How do you measure quality?

Quality measures depend on who (businesses, 

program participants, funders, others) you ask. 

Whatever the definition, quality needs to be 

built into an organization’s business, strategic 

or funding plans; into product and service 

requirements; implementation; monitoring; and 

evaluation. Common to all plans is identifying the 

vision, mission, goals, objectives, activities and 

evaluation of those activities to determine if one 

is successful and how the products and services 

relate to both the funders’ stated needs and the 

participants’ needs and wants.

Quality Nutrition Services for Senior Nutrition 

Programs 101

The National

Resource Center on

Nutrition & Aging

1

Summary Brief
What are different aspects of quality for 

the OAA NP?

Not only does the OAA NP produce a product 

such as a meal but it also provides other services 

by a public or private non-profit organization. As 

a result, there are various quality aspects that 

can be monitored and evaluated: 

1. Menu development and implementation

2. Meal production

3. Meal service, delivery

4. Participant satisfaction

5. Value (to participants and funders)

6. Other service implementation and coordination/

collaborations, such as nutrition education, 

transportation, social activities, food assistance, etc.

7. Communication, marketing, branding

8. Administration, including funding and 

sustainability

9. Organizational structure, trust and reputation

Who is responsible for quality?

Every level of the aging services network is 

responsible—from the federal Administration 

on Community Living (ACL) that offers technical 

assistance on the OAA NP, to state units on 

aging (SUAs), tribal organizations, AAAs and 

local nutrition service providers—all play a role in 

establishing and implementing quality assurance 

practices.

Summary

The OAA NP is a trusted community service 

entity, but the data indicate that it can enhance 

service quality, value, effectiveness and proven 

outcomes. Every stakeholder within the network 

of older adults, community members, aging 

services organizations, and varied entities 

charged in the OAA are tasked with assuring 

quality for aging and nutrition programs. 

The diversification of the older American 

population and changes in societal expectations, 

science, technology, media, healthcare, social 

services, HCBS, and long-term services and 

supports (LTSS) influence how the OAA NP 

changes and how these changes translate into 

quality. Quality will continue to be measured 

by performance, adherence to standards or 

processes, evaluation of value and outcomes but 

will need to evolve to meet future challenges. 

Programs, at all levels, will need to consider 

their participants’ needs and wants; funding 

availability from both public and private sources; 

the healthcare, HCBS and LTSS environment; 

prioritization of services; clarification of what 

quality and success in their own community looks 

like; and envision their future with their current 

and future funders as well as more diverse 

program participants.

In an increasingly competitive environment for 

public and private funding, and increasingly 

competitive private industry, OAA NP must 

continue to demonstrate quality, enhance 

their products and services to meet the future 

challenges, and maintain the trust and respect of 

their participants, the public and their funders. 

To extend your learning about this important 

topic, read the Quality Nutrition Services for 

Senior Nutrition Programs 101 Extended Brief, 

available here: www.nutritionandaging.org/briefs. 

Quality Nutrition Services for Senior Nutrition 

Programs 101

The National

Resource Center on

Nutrition & Aging

1

Summary Brief

Written by: Jean L. Lloyd, Consultant. Commissioned by the NRCNA.