Publication Date

5-1-2023

Document Type

Student Project

First Advisor

Schatteman, Alicia

Degree Name

B.A. (Bachelor of Arts)

Department

Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies

Abstract

The rapidly growing population of older adults in the United States is set to require a highly skilled and specialized healthcare response to control the threat of a public health crisis. Research on approaches to mitigation suggests the need for an emphasis on preventative measures such as health promotion and nutrition intervention to be used as vital tools in local communities. This case study on older adults residing within DeKalb County, Illinois offers insight into the accessibility of nonprofit nutritional assistance programs by providing a local snapshot of the barriers to participation in a preventative health resource. Methods of collecting data include interviews with current nutrition program participants and non-participants from four cities ranging in population density and proximity to local nutrition program sites within the county and quantitative data from Meals on Wheels of America’s annually published reports. This study aims to find additional information on the plausibility of barriers impeding older adults’ access to preventative health resources while also revealing opportunities for improvement and advancement in the domain of nonprofit program design and implementation.

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