Meals on Wheels of Boulder is offering a new service to Boulder area residents: Project Homecoming, a short-term meal delivery program designed to help patients make the transition from hospital to home.A 2006 study conducted by UC Berkeley Health Research for Action (From Hospital to Home: Improving transitional Care for Older Adults) found care transitions to be an increasingly critical health and social problem for seniors and their caregivers. In addition, some seniors are at very high risk for rehospitalization and increased morbidity and mortality after discharge a situation which puts added and unnecessary stress on the health care system.Hospital homecomings can be stressful even under the best conditions, perhaps in part because a surprising number of all patients may not know where their first meals will come from once they're home. Many are sent home with new dietary restrictions which may be difficult and confusing. Receiving healthy meals can help smooth the transition, relieve anxiety and help patients get well faster. While the study cited refers to seniors, the service from Meals on Wheels of Boulder is designed for patients of any age or income level being released from hospitals or rehabilitation facilities to their homes in the Boulder area, specifically those who do not have immediate plans to provide food for the first five days. It includes a hot meal, delivered at noon, prepared to meet any dietary restrictions delivered by Meals on Wheels volunteers for five days. Frozen meals are available for weekends.The cost of the service? Its free for the first five days with absolutely no strings attached!We plan to add an educational component this year, said Francea Phillips, executive director. Well be working with a dietician to prepare guidelines for patients with some of the most common restricted diets, such as no added salt, no concentrated sugars, low fat, low calorie, and high protein, to name a few.Meals on Wheels of Boulder was founded in 1969 and has delivered more than 1.5 million meals in the past 40 years. Demand for services has increased steadily at about 15% for the past four years, with an enormous increase in need for food among those in the lowest income brackets. Meals on Wheels of Boulder has no waiting list and will not deny food regardless of age or income to any qualified individual in Boulder.For more information about Project Homecoming or any services, please call 303-441-3908, visit www.mowboulder.org, or email info@mowboulder.org.