Questions about Meals on Wheels

[ugadog99]

In the effort of trying to make a long story short, my mother is no longer able to drive. She lives in a town about 30 minutes from me and an hour from my brother. Naturally, I am the one who has been going to get her groceries, but it is beginning to take its toll. She eats very little and rarely has much more than soup, sandwich meat, bananas, and sweets on her list. I was thinking that a Meals on Wheels program might help her. Yes, she should look into assisted living, or at the least, get rid of her big house and into something much smaller. She has a boatload of medical/emotional issues that will take time to solve (if they can be solved). I'm looking for something that would at least give her a few meals a week. Her income is very limited and her mobility is virtually gone. Is anyone familiar with the program or other programs that might help us? This has been going on since the death of my dad in October and something has to change. Thanks!

 

[Molly Meow]

I have no personal experience in this, but I did some Googling and found this website: http://www.mealcall.org/meals-on-wheels/county-meals-wheels.htm

On the bottom of the page, you can choose the state and then the city that she is closest to, and they list the programs that are available in that area.

If she is involved in a church, that might be another resource.

Also, if you are in contact with her doctor, they may know of some agencies that can help.

I wish you the best of luck and hope you find the answers that you are looking for!

 

[testifyoncruises]

DP, I and DD are all volunteers for Meals on Wheels. She needs to contact senior services in her county to find out about the program in your area. I will just say there is a minimum age to be on the list. Our program currently has a waiting list based on funding levels.

There will be an assessment of need by social services and then a decision is made by the director and then the wait begins.

It is the most important part of my week, so much so that it is the number one on our business plan for last year and this year.

 

[NotUrsula]

My MIL also has virtually given up cooking for herself. She eats a lot of canned fruit and frozen microwavable meals. The frozen meals actually work pretty well for a lot of older folks if you are very careful about the sodium content -- it can be high in some brands.

MOW works well for someone who likes the company, but some seniors are distrustful of the folks who volunteer and don't like strangers coming into their homes for any reason. When DH's grandfather was widowed he would not hear of participating for that reason.

 

[java]

My dad drives for Meals On Wheels. I don't know much about what it takes to get the service but I know it is income based as well as need based.

My grandparens were involved in a senior center- they fed them breakfast and a hot lunch. (they were in NYC so they could walk to it) but around here now there is an inexpensive door to door bus that offers it for seniors out here in the boonies.

I think a good place to start is the Center for Aging in her area- or even a social worker at the local hospital. They will have the information on all local services in her area.

 

[JESW]

Among other things, please get her one of those life alert or whatever brand of medical emergency buttons she can push if she needs help. Both my parents - 84 & 89 - wear theirs around their necks.

Jill

 

[golfgal]

It depends on your particular program but the program we used to drive for allowed anyone over 65 or anyone that was disabled to participate and it was on a sliding scale so you paid according to income. We delivered in private homes, apartments and assisted living facilities. All the meals were "home" cooked and we transported them in aluminum trays so they could be easily frozen if needed too. You signed up for however many days you wanted food and if you had a guest over for lunch you could call and request an extra meal every so often too (you had to pay full price for that one). What at lot of people REALLY liked was someone came to their house and chatted with them for a few minutes.

We looked into having this for my Grandpa when he was alive and he was about 6 blocks out of the service area so he couldn't receive the meals so keep that in mind, not everywhere has availability.

 

[ugadog99]

Thank you for all the information. I'll start with the Aging Center in her county. I hope we will be able to find something as she is about to wither away to nothing.

 

[BelleWDW]

Both my Mom-in wheelchair, unable to cook-and her DH get them. They are in their 80's & we started afew years ago when she had her stroke and he had health problems. they are charged $1 each person per meal. M-f only-not delivered on Holidays

The food is basic & has a milk, sometmes a juice, or a fruit and a dessert. It is delivered in the AM-before noon.

It is a lifesend for them

 

[disneymom3]

Meals on Wheels is an awesome program. The added benefit of it beyond the food is that someone will be stopping to say hello to your mom each day. We homeschool so when we do the route, my kids come along and the older people LOVE to see us coming. Our route is pretty rural so I know that we are sometimes the only personal contact these folks have. From talking to others who share our route, it is very common for the delivery people to spend a moment or two chatting with each recipient.

We have folks on our route with special dietary needs that are accomodated. We have one gentleman who gets two milks. There are several folks who get two meals delivered on Fridays so they have a meal for Sat too. So they will work with what you need.

Not sure how all programs are done, but ours are served in what look like the trays you would get a Weight Watchers or similar meal in and sealed with saran wrap type stuff just like a frozen meal. They are made in the kitchen at the seniors home in town though. It just makes them more sanitary to deliver.

I hope this works out for your mom!!

 

[cabanafrau]

So sorry for the loss of your father and the challenges you are facing with your mother. I don't really have info. on Meals on Wheels, but I did want to make a suggestion that might help anyway. Perhaps you and your brother might be able to prepare and freeze some meals to leave for your mom to just reheat. That way he can pitch in whenever possible and you'll know your mom has some nutritious meals on hand without much work on her part.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

We did MOW for my Dad after my Mom passed away, when we discovered that Dad saying "I can cook for myself" meant eating fried eggs every day. Turns out that was all he knew how to cook!
Monday through Friday they brought him a hot meal at lunchtime, and a cold meal (usually a sandwich, fruit, milk, and cookie) for his dinner later. It was a very reasonable price (don't remember exactly how much). Then on weekends, we would go over there and take him out or cook for him, do laundry, etc.
It was great!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

All of these are compassionate and good suggestions.

However, given the situaiton that you have described, MoW will not be the answer.

I know (trust me, if you can, I really do know) how brutally hard it is to have the discussion about leaving a home and going to a smaller place, or to an assisted living facility.

She really needs to be evaluated for assistance, and then for the safest, least restrictive living situation that is available to her that she will accept.

The sooner you start down this long and difficult road, the better the outcome will be. Often families wait too long to get a loved one into a care setting. Some who don't almost always end up saying they should have done so sooner.

Take care now, and best wishes for you and her.

 

[scrapquitler]

Can you find out if the senior center in her area has a lunch program? In my town, I believe the senior center has a lunch program that is very inexpensive AND you can get a ride there on their little mini-bus, spend some time there participating in programs and have lunch before getting a ride on an outing or just home. It would be worth making some phone calls to find out if something like that is available for your relative.

 

[cabanafrau]

Can you find out if the senior center in her area has a lunch program? In my town, I believe the senior center has a lunch program that is very inexpensive AND you can get a ride there on their little mini-bus, spend some time there participating in programs and have lunch before getting a ride on an outing or just home. It would be worth making some phone calls to find out if something like that is available for your relative.

That's a very good idea I completely forgot about. Actually that offers a lot more than just nutritional benefits.

 

[ugadog99]

These are all wonderful suggestions. Thank you all so much. I do know that she cannot continue to live in that house alone. At the moment, though, I'm looking for a temporary solution to a difficult problem. There is so much to be handled, but in the meantime, I'm looking for a way to make sure she has something to eat other than soup, sandwich meat, and sweets. I'm going to start with the senior center and go from there. Thanks again, everyone.