Robert, age 79, started attending our Senior Dining program ten years ago when his wife became ill and was no longer able to cook.  Each day, he would have lunch with us and then bring home lunch for his wife. 

After Robert’s wife passed away, our Senior Dining program provided Robert with an opportunity to socialize and meet new people, in addition to a hot, well-balanced meal.  

In August 2002, Robert recognized that he needed help planning meals and contacted Volunteers of America Senior Nutrition.  A registered dietitian went to Robert’s home and performed a complete nutrition assessment.  Because Robert’s blood sugar levels were elevated, the dietitian educated Robert about how he could more effectively control his diabetes by modifying his diet.  She developed a specialized meal plan for Robert and performed follow-up visits to monitor his progress.  By the third follow-up visit, Robert’s blood sugar levels had dropped significantly.

In January 2006, the dietitian visited with Robert again.  He had recently been hospitalized, had lost some weight, and his blood sugar levels were elevated.  Once again, the dietitian developed a specialized meal plan for Robert, and this time gave him suggestions for how to gain weight.   Shortly thereafter, Robert’s blood sugar levels returned to normal and he gained an appropriate amount of weight.