The impact of a congregate meal programme on facilitating ageing in place: the case of an area agency on ageing in Florida

Abstract

Although social policies on ageing have historically received significant attention in the academic literature, strategies for successfully implementing these policies in real-world practice must be further researched. This case study aims to empirically evaluate the impact of a federal congregate meal programme (CMP) on seniors' ability to age in place and examine the challenges associated with this programme. High decentralisation, significant discretion, and territorial variation in the programme's implementation across states and regions present challenges for evaluating its efficiency and effectiveness nationwide. This case study examines the CMP of one of Florida's area agencies on ageing non-profits. The findings suggest that the CMP positively impacts self-care and independent living amongst participating seniors, independent of the number of days per week they participate in the programme. However, the programme's implementation faces several challenges in achieving a long-term impact on the community it serves. Many seniors lack access to the CMP due to long waiting lists, a lack of funding, or inadequate transportation. The study concludes that community governance and local cross-sectoral collaborations can be critical in mobilising tangible and intangible resources for the successful local administration of the federal CMP and serving a larger population in need.