Best meal delivery services for seniors who don’t cook

Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some good healthy meal delivery options for seniors who don’t cook or get out much? My 80-year-old father, who lives alone, has a terrible diet and I worry about his health.

Concerned Daughter

Dear Concerned,

There are actually a wide variety healthy meal delivery options that can help non-cooking seniors who live at home. Here are several top options to check into.

Community-Based Programs

A good place to start, is to find out if there’s a senior home delivery meal program in your dad’s area. Meals on Wheels is the largest program that most people are familiar with, but many communities offer senior meal delivery programs sponsored by other organizations that go by different names.

To find services available in your dad’s area, visit MealsOnWheelsAmerica.org, which offers a comprehensive directory on their website, or call the area aging agency near your dad. Call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 to get the local number.

Most home delivered meal programs across the U.S. deliver hot meals daily or several times a week, usually around the lunch

Preserve Parkway

hour, to seniors over age 60 who have problems preparing meals for themselves, as well as those with disabilities. Weekend meals, usually frozen, may also be available, along with special diets (diabetic, lowsodium, kosher, etc.).

Most of these programs typically charge a small fee (usually between $2 and $9 per meal) or request a donation, while some may be free to low-income seniors who qualify for Medicaid. There are also some Medicare Advantage plans that cover limited meal service benefits.

Meal Delivery Service Companies

Another great option for your dad is to order him some pre-made meals online from a meal delivery service company. These companies provide a wide variety of tasty meal choices and will usually post the nutrition information for their meals right on their website.

Most companies will also cater to a host of dietary and medical needs, such as low-sodium and low-carb meals, diabetic meals, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian options. Plus, the ordering process is very easy.

Depending on the company you choose, the food arrives either fresh or frozen and most deliver all across the U.S. Prices generally start at around $8 to $13 per meal, plus shipping, however many companies provide discounts or free shipping when you order meals in bulk. And most companies work with Medicaid and some Medicare Advantage plans to help reduce costs.

Some of the best meal delivery companies for older adults, as rated by Verywell Health for 2023 include:

• Best Variety: Magic Kitchen (magickitchen.com)

• Best Value: Mom’s Meals (momsmeals.com)

What is the status of those firms today?

Have you personally been involved in any arbitration cases?

What happened?

How long has your firm been in business? How may arbitration awards have been filed against your firm?

What is your investment philosophy?

BY DONALD PETERSON

Dear Readers, What should you ask of the people who sell investments or provide investment advice?

Financial professionals who sell variable annuities have a duty to advise you as to whether the product they are trying to sell is suitable to your particular investment needs. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions, and write down their answers, so there won’t be any confusion later as to what they said.

Tip: Check the background of your financial professional. You can verify your broker’s disciplinary history by checking the Central Registration Depository (CRD) either through the Colorado Division of Securities, or the Financial Industry Regulation Authority (FINRA).

Describe your typical client. Can you provide me with some names and telephone numbers of your long-term clients, based on their permission?

How do you get paid? By commission? Amount of assets you manage? Do I have any choices on how to pay you?

Do you make more if I buy this annuity (or stock, or bond, or mutual fund) rather than another? If you weren’t making extra money, would your recommendation be the same?

Are you participating in a sales contest? Is this purchase really in my best interest, or are you trying to win a prize?

You’ve told me what it costs me to buy this stock (or bond, or mutual fund); how much will I receive if I sell it today?

If your financial professional changes firms, ask if he or she was paid to change firms. Do you get anything for bringing me along?

What are the four key medical/estate plan documents you need now?

• Best for Nutrition

Consultation: BistroMD (bistromd.com)

• Best Plant-Based Meals: Mosaic (mosaicfoods.com)

• Best Gluten-Free: ModifyHealth (modifyhealth. com)

• Best Chef-Prepared: CookUnity (cookunity.com)

• Best for Customization: Snap Kitchen (snapkitchen.com) For more information on this list and their testing methodology, visit VerywellHealth.com and search “Best Meal Delivery Services for Seniors.”

Grocery Stores and Restaurants

Depending on where your dad lives, he may also be able to get home delivered meals from local grocery stores or restaurants. Some grocery stores offer a selection of pre-cooked meals and foods, including roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and fresh soups and salads. Contact the grocery stores in your dad’s area to inquire about this option. Or check with some of his favorite right to gain access to your spouse’s medical records or make medical decisions on your spouse’s behalf, even in an emergency. To avoid this problem and to help others care for you and to achieve your overall estate planning goals, the following documents create an effective medical/estate plan package:

1. Healthcare Power of Attorney;

2. General Financial Power of Attorney;

3. Advanced Directive for Medical/ Surgical Treatment (“Living Will”); and

4. Will (or a Will with a Trust).

Careful medical/estate planning should include preparation and signing of these documents, to accomplish your goals and protect you, both during your lifetime, and at the time of passing. The Power of Attorney documents allow you to designate those agents whom you authorize to help you on your behalf during your lifetime, and the Will/Trust documents allow you to nominate others to help with your estate after your passing, as well as to identify the beneficiaries and the distributions to them, to accomplish your estate planning goals.

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You can also find out about investment advisers and whether they are properly registered by reading their registrations forms, called the “Form ADV”. You can review an adviser’s most recent Form ADV online by visiting the Security Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) website.

Are you registered with our state securities regulator? Have you ever been disciplined by the SEC, a state regulator, or other organization (such as FINRA or one of the stock exchanges)?

What training and experience do you have? How long have you been in the business? What other firms have you been registered with?

Many of my clients have asked what are the critical documents needed, particularly in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Simply being married does not give you the legal

Selected information in this column has been taken with permission by Continuing Legal Education in Colorado, Inc., from the Colorado Senior Law Handbook, 2020 Edition (Chapter 17: Annuities, Rebecca L. Franciscus, Esq.), which is a copyrighted publication and may be accessed and downloaded for free at: www.cobar.org/For-the-Public/ Senior-Law-Handbook.