Care Connection offers senior meals in West Central Missouri
Get to know Care Connection! Since 1973, we’ve been feeding older adults in our area nutritionally balanced senior meals that focus on the taste of each season, from asparagus in early spring, to watermelon and strawberries in summer, and pumpkin to warm yourself in fall.
Care Connection for Aging Services provides nutritious food programs to seniors 60 years or older in our senior centers that cover a 13-county West Central Missouri territory. In 2022, Care Connection staff provided a total of 427,481 meals in our senior center dining rooms, and as home-delivered meals!
Care Connection is West Central Missouri’s District III Area Agency on Aging
You can feel good about your choice to eat meals at Care Connection senior centers. They are delicious and carefully planned to meet the nutritional needs of older adults.
People older than 60 can eat meals at a senior center for a contribution toward the total cost of the meal, about $9.00. The suggested contribution in most centers is about $5.
Healthy, nutritious meals for seniors
Our meals contain at least one-third of the current recommended dietary allowances established by the National Policy and Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging. The entire meal is planned to work together (so be sure to enjoy your dessert!) We also offer fruit as a dessert alternative.
Our cooks use standardized recipes to assure quality and quantity:
- Meats are cooked at low temperatures to conserve moisture and promote tenderness.
- Vegetables are steamed or cooked in minimal amounts of water to conserve nutrients and retain color, flavor and texture.
Our staff members do their best to prepare special celebrations for birthdays and holidays. Regional differences are celebrated in our seasonal menus.
- With high temperatures in summer, the focus is on lighter foods and fresh salads.
- Comfort food is a staple in winter, with soups, stews, and casseroles.
- Special activities can go hand-in-hand with our menu to celebrate fun theme days with Picnic Day, Italian Day, Tailgate Day and Cinco de Mayo.
Care Connection offers two ways to enjoy our meals for seniors
Our mission is to provide opportunities to create positive aging experiences. Tap into Care Connection meals whether you are homebound or have transportation to our centers.
Congregate meals in-person at local network of senior centers
If you are able to go into your local senior center, you’ll love having company during meals. Visit to your heart’s content with fun-loving people who understand where you are coming from.
Our senior centers are lively places where friends can meet, and they are certainly not just for “old people”. If you are 60 or older, this is a great social resource for you!
Check one or more of our senior centers out for yourself. Getting together for light-hearted fellowship is the backbone of what Care Connection does for older adults in West Central Missouri.
First time check list for senior center congregate meals
Care Connection must keep track of our meals served as that data is required by the state and federal governments. If it’s your first time to your local senior center, please be ready to provide demographic and emergency information for us to keep on file.
Help us continue to serve your needs. We really appreciate your understanding!
Home-delivered meals for seniors
All Care Connection senior centers have meals available to homebound participants that meet their needs. This may be hot noon meals or a combination of hot and frozen meals.
How to qualify for home-delivered senior meals from Care Connection
Home-delivered meals are prepared and delivered to qualified seniors who are primarily homebound seniors and not actively driving. Our senior meal delivery is a person-centered program that is designed to meet the real needs of our communities and isn’t necessarily designed for convenience or personal preferences.
Care Connection will conduct a health assessment to ensure that qualifying seniors need this help and are not able to cook for themselves. Geographic isolation may be another factor.
Our trained staff will review the assessment form and make recommendations for home-delivered meals on a case-by-case basis. Ideally, we prefer seniors find a way to come into our senior centers to take advantage of congregate meals in a social setting.
Mental health matters. Are you at risk for social isolation?
Get an assessment for Care Connection home-delivered meals
Call your nearest senior center to start the ball rolling to assess your needs for home-bound meals. Visit https://goaging.org/services/local-centers/ or see the list below for your closest location.
- Butler Senior Center 660-679-5830
- Carroll County Care Connection 800-748-7826
- Clinton Senior Center 660-885-3482
- Cole Camp Senior Center 660-668-2352
- Concordia Senior Center 660-463-7393
- El Dorado Springs Senior Center 417-876-5574
- Higginsville Senior Center 660-584-7040
- Holden Senior Center 816-732-5757
- Korth Center 417-276-5306
- Margaret Gray Center 660-259-2025
- Marshall Senior Center 660-886-9888
- McCarty Senior Center 417-282-6100
- Neal Center in Nevada 417-667-5847
- Odessa Senior Center 816-633-4161
- Rivers Crossing Life Center 417-646-8292
- Salisbury Senior Center 660-388-5431
- Sedalia Senior Center 660-826-0713
- Warrensburg Senior Center 660-747-2624
- Warsaw Senior Center/Village Cafe 660-438-3300
- Windsor Senior Center 660-647-3224
Emphasis on food safety
Because we receive federal and state funds, Care Connection is required to meet all safety, food handling and food service sanitation standards as outlined in the:
- Older Americans Act.
- Nutrition Service Standard and Rules Governing Health and Sanitation of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
- Our food service staff members complete a food safety certification program (Servsafe) regularly. We love preparing meals to serving our customers and feel proud to be an important part of our communities.
Safety of home-delivered meals for seniors
Our teams work hard to ensure that the temperatures of meals delivered to homebound participants remain in compliance with state standards. Staff and volunteers are trained to package meals quickly using an assembly line system and good sanitation procedures.
Insulated carriers with smooth, easily-cleanable surfaces are used to deliver homebound meals. The Head Cook is responsible for ensuring that these carriers are cleaned and sanitized daily.
Care Connection frozen meals
Frozen meals may be prepared for individuals needing additional meal support during the time when the center is closed. Frozen meals may also be delivered weekly to geographically-isolated individuals for use as evening meals.
Frozen meals also contain at least one-third of the recommended daily allowance of nutrients, as established by the National Policy and Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging including, bread, butter, dessert and milk. Only freshly prepared, high-quality foods may be frozen.
More resources from Care Connection to help older Americans age in place
Brain-healthy food
Heart-healthy food
Portion control
Staying healthy, staying fit is another big part of the Care Connection offering.
Older adults in West Central Missouri should also think about participating in our Healthy Lifestyle evidence-based fitness classes at our senior centers. Our wellness teams “meet you where you are” with online and in-person services for seniors.
Learn more about our evidence-based senior wellness programs for a healthier lifestyle >