Articles and Information from GA Foods

Medicare open enrollment is happening right now, so it's time to enroll in a Medicare plan by going to the Medicare.gov website. Open enrollment closes on December 7, and new Medicare coverage begins on January 1, 2018. 

Topics: Medicare, Healthcare Research, Senior Health Plans, Senior Nutrition

Shane Vansant (right) and Joshua Howard hand out food to Hurricane Irma survivors at a supply
distribution point in Key West, Florida on Monday, September 18, 2017. Photo by J.T. Blatty/FEMA

Topics: Military, Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Preparedness, Disaster, Hurricane Relief

In the most general sense, workplace stress is a mismatch between the demands made of an employee and that employee's ability to carry out those demands. In other words, workplace stress is at its peak when job demands are highest and the employee's actual (or perceived) ability to carry out those demands are at their low point. 

Topics: Reduce Stress, Stress, Care Managers, Caregiver Burnout

We know avoiding hospitalizations is a top priority for health plans. One way to keep your members out of the hospital, and to reduce the chance of readmission, is to prevent malnutrition. In fact, roughly one-third of patients who are not malnourished at admission will become so during their stay. Weight loss, being underweight, and failure-to-thrive/malnutrition have all been associated with readmission within 30 days of discharge.

Topics: Home Delivered Meals, Malnutrition, Post Discharge, Senior Nutrition

GA Foods is proud of our Executive Chef, Mike Thrash. Chef Mike is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University and joined GA Foods in 2014. An award-winning chef, he enjoys creating new ways to reformulate recipes and enhance flavors, making him our secret ingredient for healthy meals senior adults love!!!

Topics: Senior Health, Healthy Home Delivered Meals, Healthy Meals for Seniors, Senior Nutrition

According to Kaiser Health News, 28 percent of patients (many being older adults) who are offered home health care services when they are discharged from the hospital, refuse the services available, which could lead to delayed recoveries, and reduced independence. Studies indicate that those who refuse post-discharge services may have higher rates of readmission to the hospital and a lower quality of life.

Topics: Home Delivered Meals, Medicare, Nutrition Care, Malnutrition, Post Discharge, Aging Well

Case managers and discharge planners have many things to consider before their patients return home after a hospitalization.  You may not be aware that some healthcare plans now offer nutrition care benefits for post-discharge patients.

Benefits of Nutrition Care

Topics: Healthcare Cost Reduction, Medicare, Post Discharge, Care Managers

According to  The National Aging in Place Council (NAIPC), more than 90 percent of older adults prefer to stay in their homes rather than move to a senior facility. One of the challenges you face as a case manager is helping seniors to age in place. People want to stay in their homes because they are most comfortable with what is familiar. 

Topics: Home Delivered Meals, Nutrition Care, Care Managers, Aging Well, Senior Nutrition

As a caregiver, you have many things to worry about. Food safety shouldn’t be one of them. When choosing a home-delivered meal provider, food safety and quality should be top priorities.  Selecting a provider that uses extensive food preparation safety procedures with a safe delivery model will provide peace of mind. 

Don't Break the Chain

The “cold chain” process is one of the most effective and reliable methods of assuring food safety. This process ensures that food is maintained at temperatures that prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that can make you sick.  

The cold chain process transports perishable foods without using harmful preservatives and additives. This continuous cold chain ensures seniors will receive safe and healthy meals.

Here are some questions to ask when comparing home-delivered meal providers:

• Is the food prepared fresh in an USDA-inspected facility?
• Are the meals flash frozen to -19° F?
• Is the food maintained in a cold storage at -10° F until delivery?
• Is the food delivered to homes in specially-designed freezer trucks?
• Do they have specially-trained drivers unpack meals and store them in freezer until ready to eat?

Topics: Nutrition, Home Delivered Meals, The Cold Chain, Food Safety, Caregivers, Healthy Meals for Seniors, Senior Nutrition

Topics: Nutrition, Child Nutrition, Summer Meals, SFSP