One Meridian business is doing its part to promote good nutrition and social interaction among the local aging population, two key factors that may contribute to living a longer life.

Home Instead, which offers in-home senior care services, is partnering with Meals on Wheels to deliver well-balanced, nutritious meals to recipients and is urging other businesses to step up and join them in taking care of older adults in the community.

“Home Instead and Meals on Wheels share similar goals when it comes to caring for older adults in the community,” said Charrisa Shirley, a co-owner of Home Instead. “Both believe in breaking isolation and sharing nutritious meals with our older loved ones.”

Meals on Wheels, a long-time program in Meridian, is organized locally by Multi-County Community Service Agency and relies on volunteers to help deliver well-balanced meals to residents who are elderly or homebound. Like other organizations, Meals on Wheels has struggled over the years to get enough volunteers.

On Monday, Home Instead representatives were out and about delivering meals to recipients in one local senior living community on behalf of Meals on Wheels.

“We’ve just started our volunteer commitment to Meals on Wheels.” Shirley said. “We’ll be delivering every Monday to as many meal recipients as we can.”

These Meals on Wheels visits are aimed at not only providing recipients with a daily meal but also a chance for friendly interaction.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory declaring loneliness and social isolation an epidemic among the aging population. The advisory warns of the adverse effects a lack of social connection can have on older adults, saying studies haven shown it can dramatically impact seniors’ health, prevent them from getting proper nutrition and increase their risk of premature death.

Following the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory, Home Instead’s national office and its parent company, Honor, joined Meals on Wheels’ “Power of a Knock” campaign, helping to raise more than $100,000 through a matching grant to support programs across the nation.

Home Instead also is supporting the Meals on Wheels “Power of a Knock” campaign with volunteers, local donations and by helping build awareness through community.

Shirley said Home Instead’s years of experience in working with senior adults makes it an ideal candidate to be involved with the Meals on Wheels program.

“With our decades of experience caring for older adults, we know how important good nutrition is as you age,” she said. “A healthy diet is imperative to better overall health. Along with that, we know people eat better when they eat with others and have that social interaction to confirm that someone cares.”

Shirley offered these tips on how individuals can support their older family members who may still live in their home to encourage them to maintain good nutrition and keep them from feeling isolated:

•Find time to eat together. People eat more nutritious when they share a meal.

•Create a meal plan for your loved one. On days you can’t join them, make sure they have something healthy in the fridge.

•Bring them into the conversation. If they help build the plan and make the meals, it’s more likely the food will be something they like and will enjoy eating.