Summary:

Recommendations:

1. Sites should have an alternate plan for food service during times of disaster and service disruption.
2. Secure alternative sources of food from restaurants or grocery stores, delis, etc. when supplies are not available or kitchen is not functional. Should have sample menu available that generally meets nutritional requirements. 
3. Consider alternative cooking and dining facilities as appropriate. 
4. Be sure to have contract or MOU for all outside services and resources as appropriate. 
5. Plan cold food items to be used when no gas and/or electric is available or when adequate staff are not available to provide for routine food service.
6. Use disposable dinnerware and utensils to avoid need for dishwashing when limited staff or when water is in short supply.
7. Have plan for washing and sanitizing hands when no running water available.
8. During power interruption, keep cooling and freezing units closed as much as possible. Use up what you can from refrigerated foods first, then from freezer as items thaw out. Use shelf-stable foods later when possible. Keep jugs or bottles of ice in freezer if space is available. The ice improves the efficiency of the freezer, keeps things colder longer when electricity is off and provides another source of fresh water.
9. Keep barbeque grill with gas or briquettes and lighter fluid for cooking outdoors as appropriate. Keep at least one full backup propane tank for gas barbeques.  
10. Keep supply of water available and replace periodically (i.e. 5-gallon jugs). Consider hot water tank contains potable supply of water when needed. Pool, pond and other water may be used to flush toilets.
11. Have generator available with portable gas can. Remember, if you are out of power, so are service stations rendering them unable to pump gas. Remember gas that may be available in vehicles. May want to keep siphon hose to get fuel from tank. Should include having a knowledge of the hourly fuel consumption of the generator, which can be found in the instruction book or on line by Googling the make and model of the generator. Plan electrical needs in house as it relates to fuel per hour consumption of the generator.  

 HDM

1. Provide box of shelf-stable foods to HDM clients to keep in case of emergencies and unable to receive food supplies. Have set place to keep shelf-stable food in their home and replace every 6 months or year – have them use up what is being replaced.
2. Anticipate disasters such as storms by providing meals in advance to HDM clients so deliveries are not needed for several days. Keep aware of weather forecasts. A good way to remain aware is to post unusual weather forecasts or conditions at the senior facility for all to see.

Miscellaneous

1. Maintain emergency phone tree and update information on a routine basis.
2. Coordinate with community emergency services and resources.
3. Have alternate plan for communication when no electricity, internet, land phones, cell phones, etc.
4. Participant information: Be sure hard copies of information are available in case web access not accessible.
5. Have a plan for how to manage the kitchen and facility during a disaster. Consider who will and will not be allowed to use the kitchen and equipment; how to manage traffic in some areas of the kitchen open to non-food service staff and/or volunteers; and who will be served under a variety of circumstances. May need to secure support from municipalities, community organizations and emergency service providers.

Sample Menu

Introduction:

Fire safety and evacuation plans outline staff duties and responsibilities in time of emergency. Ongoing training is required to help ensure that staff is aware of those duties and responsibilities. Fire drills serve as an opportunity for staff members to demonstrate, under simulated fire conditions, that they can perform those duties and responsibilities safely and efficiently. It’s also a time for them to show that they are aware of defend-in-place strategies and can take advantage of your facility’s fire safety features and vacate facilities to protect the people in their care.

Fire drills are more than an exercise designed to evaluate staff response to a simulated emergency. They are also a test of your facility’s fire safety/evacuation plans and staff training programs. Not all fire drills run smoothly. That’s okay, so long as staff and management learn from them and correct mistakes made. It’s important, therefore, that there be a critique of each drill so that any problems encountered can be addressed. Perhaps the problems are due to incomplete or outdated fire safety/evacuation plans. Perhaps there’s a need for additional staff training.

Fire Drill & Earthquake Activity Form

Certification Requirements:

Elderly Nutrition Program Community Centers must perform at least one fire drill annually and records must be kept of these drills. At a minimum, these records include:

• Site manager or person conducting the drill.
• Date and time completed.
• Length of time needed to evacuate.
• Number of participants present.
• Number of participants who would not cooperate.
• Number of staff & volunteers directing activitie(s)
• Comments and observations such as notification method used, special conditions simulated, problems encountered, etc..

It is preferable that the local fire department participate in the activity. If possible have them provide information on personal fire safety and emergency preparedness at home.

It is strongly encouraged that the fire department be asked to participate in a fire drill. Such drills must, however, be carefully planned – advance notice should be given to participants to avoid upsetting or exciting them.

It is expected that all persons subject to the drill will participate (if some staff members are allowed to be excused from drills, there is a danger that, in an actual emergency, the evacuation and relocation process will be compromised). All participants should participate in drills to the extent possible.

Performing the Drill:

Drills should be scheduled on a random basis – they need to be held at unexpected times and under varying conditions to simulate the unusual conditions that can occur in an actual fire. Fire is unpredictable. Staff must be able to react to the conditions present and adjust their actions accordingly to ensure a safe and orderly evacuation. Conducting drills at varying times using different locations and scenarios not only tests their ability to do so, but makes them confident enough that the potential for confusion or panic under actual fire conditions is significantly reduced. If staff can remain calm and self-assured under emergency conditions, there is less likelihood of upsetting or exciting the facility’s residents and visitors.

There are a number of ways that can be used to alert staff of a fire in a fire drill scenario including:

• Place a sign, flashing light, picture of a fire or red-colored cloth in the area of simulated fire origin.
• Hand a note to a staff person outlining a fire scenario they’ve just discovered.
• Activate a manual fire alarm pull box and have staff respond accordingly.

Staff should be expected to activate the nearest fire alarm box. Because the alarm is to be sounded during drills, it’s important that any company or agency monitoring the fire alarm system be notified in advance of the drill to avoid dispatching the fire department. It’s equally important that the monitoring company/agency be contacted after the drill to verify the time that an alarm signal was received and to serve notice that the drill has been completed.

The drill must include complete evacuation of the smoke compartment containing the area of simulated fire origin and all occupants moved to a safe location (e.g. outside on sidewalk, etc.). The emphasis when conducting drills needs to be on safe and orderly evacuation rather than speed.

Senior Hunger – The Human Toll and Budget Consequences

Older American Act Report June 2011

Nutrition Program Resources

As partners with the Area Agencies, the California Department of Aging (CDA) would like to share the nutrition program resources of fellow Area Agencies in the hopes of serving our seniors better and with more efficiency. Area Agencies have given CDA their permission to post these resource materials for others to use and develop to meet their local needs.

Quick Index:

Forms
Nutrition Education
Policies & Procedures
Survey Samples
Volunteer Information

Dear AAA Directors and AAA RD,

This email is to update you on the current status of SB 303, Food Safety: food handlers. We had been concerned that Elderly Nutrition Program (ENP) employees and volunteers maybe required to obtain a food handler card.

SB 303 was amended July 11, 2011 to include the Elderly Nutrition program as one of the stated exceptions from this requirement. 

“This section shall not apply to a food handler who is employed by any of the following: . . . An elderly nutrition program, administered by the California Department of Aging, pursuant to the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. Sec 3001 et seq.) as amended.”

SB 303 has been referred to the consent calendar. It is a an urgent bill and is moving quickly through the house. If passed, it will exclude ENP employees and volunteers from the requirement for a food handler card.

I will notify you on any changes to SB 303 that impact ENP. Please let me know if you have further questions,

Beth Sloane

BSloane@aging.ca.gov

Menu planning and menu approval for Senior Nutrition Programs can be pretty complicated but with the right tools it can be a lot easier. Any changes in the menu should be recorded and reviewed for adequacy.

Resources for Menu Planning for Senior Nutrition Programs

Public Health view of Sodium in foods

Sodium Reduction Guidelinesfrom 2013 – 2020

Nutrient Values of Foods

Menu Supplement (sources of vitamins A & C)

Sample Menu Planning Template 

Blank Menu Planning Template – 5 Day

Blank Menu Planning Template – 7 Day

Sample Completed Template – 5 Day

senior nutrition eval form.doc   – To use when inspecting SNP sites.

Sample Home-Delivered Meal (HDM) Program Survey  – Questionnare to be used to evaluate client satisfaction of HDM program.

Summary Form for HDM Survey – Use to calculate overall response of client surveys. 

Reassessment Forms for HDM – Use this form to for the home visit and phone visit tracking and notations. 

Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program

The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and began in the 1990s to provide fresh, nutritious, locally grown fruits and vegetables from farmers’ markets to low-income families and seniors. Each eligible family receives $20 in vouchers to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, and cut herbs at WIC-approved Certified Farmers’ Markets in California during the season, from May through November. California operates the largest WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program in the nation. In 2010, 149,200 WIC families, 1100 certified farmers, 430 certified farmers’ markets participated in the program.

The Nutrition Label Facts for Seniors

Understanding what the Nutrition Facts Label includes can help you make food choices that are best for your health.

Understanding Food Labels

Elderly Nutrition Program

http://www.agingservices.info/pdf/rfp/title-22-ccr.pdf

TITLE 22. CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS DIVISION 1.8. CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF AGING TABLE OF CONTENTS

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