Elevate+ for Healthy Aging.
Not calorie counting. Independence.
For an older Californian, healthy nutrition means maintaining strength. Remaining independent. Making a limited grocery budget work. And preventing small declines in health from becoming much larger ones. That's the work CDA and its Area Agencies on Aging have led for years — and it deserves to continue.
Your mission.
Made daily.
These aren't our words — they're your program's own goals for older Californians. Here's how Elevate+ helps deliver each one, every day.
"Help older adults eat healthfully on a budget and stretch their food dollars."
Weekly meal plans built from the foods already in the kitchen, with a "minimal cooking effort" setting and repeatable meals that keep shopping simple — never a list of expensive ingredients. Cost-aware recommendations are next on our shared roadmap.
"Increase fruit and vegetable consumption."
Every logged meal comes with one achievable improvement — usually what to add, not what to give up. Fiber is tracked daily against a personal target, and weekly insights gently flag when fruits and vegetables are slipping.
"Increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior."
"What is one healthy thing I should do today?" Gentle, age-appropriate prompts that build confidence, not pressure — with real steps and activity from Apple Health informing the conversation, and simple encouragement like a walk after meals.
"Maintain healthy weight and reduce chronic disease risk."
Condition-aware guidance for the realities of aging: protein targets that protect strength, an automatic 1,500 mg sodium target with high blood pressure, tighter sugar limits with diabetes or prediabetes — catching risk before it becomes disease — and hard safety floors so guidance is always steady, never drastic. There's even a wellness track with no weight focus at all.
"Reduce social isolation and improve well-being and self-esteem."
A daily check-in is also a daily connection — a friendly voice that listens, remembers, and encourages. Every day, not just program days. And in-app Communities let participants from the same senior center or congregate site cheer each other on between gatherings.
Straightforward questions.
Straightforward answers.
Our vision is a simplified Elevate+ designed specifically around older adults. No complicated nutrition information to interpret — just honest answers:
- "What would be a healthier breakfast for me?"
- "What should I eat for dinner, based on what I ate today?"
- "Am I eating enough protein?"
- "How can I improve this meal?"
- "What is one healthy thing I should do today?"
What this looks like in practice.
Just say it.
Nova does the rest.
"I had a tall caramel latte." That's the whole interaction. Participants speak naturally, snap a photo, or type a few words — no manual entry of complicated nutritional information, ever.
Elevate+ then provides personalized guidance based on eating patterns, preferences, and program goals — reinforcing the nutrition and physical-activity principles delivered by Area Agencies on Aging and their community partners.
Support between
program days.
The opportunity is not to replace senior nutrition programs or the trusted people who deliver them. It's to make their support available on the other six days of the week.
A daily check-in is also a daily connection — gentle encouragement, one healthy suggestion, and a reason to feel confident about the next food decision. And through Coach Mode, an AAA staff member or a family caregiver can pair with an older adult by simple code — seeing how they're doing, suggesting adjustments, and staying present between program days.
Questions worth
answering together.
A focused collaboration with low-income adults 60+ receiving nutrition services through one or two Area Agencies on Aging could evaluate:
Engagement
Does personalized daily nutrition guidance increase participant engagement and retention?
Diet Quality
Does it improve dietary diversity and healthy-food choices on a fixed budget?
Activity
Can it encourage appropriate physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior?
Confidence
Do older adults feel more confident making everyday food decisions — and less alone doing it?
Sustainability
Can digital reinforcement extend program impact without proportionally increasing staffing?
"The goal isn't tracking calories. It's helping a 72-year-old remain healthy, nourished, strong, and independent."
— The Elevate+ team
Healthy. Active.
Independent.
Support that's there not only when an older adult attends a program — but whenever a real-life health decision needs to be made.
Explore the other agency visions