Meals on Wheels program – more than a meal

On any given day of the work week (Monday to Friday), dozens of local residents’ nutritional needs get met when affordable, home-like nutritious hot meals are delivered to their door through the Meals on Wheels program provided by the Community Care Health & Care Network.

The service has been a mainstay of Community Care since the organization was founded locally in 1985, when organizers identified the need for seniors and adults with special needs who experience difficulty cooking or in ensuring healthy eating.

The program has come a long way from its origins, when motivated volunteers prepared meals in their own homes or church kitchens and delivered lunches to a handful of local shut-ins.

Today, Community Care’s industrial kitchen in Fenelon Falls is the daily preparation spot for lunchtime orders that are delivered five days per week in Lindsay and Fenelon, and several times each week to other Kawartha Lakes communities. Clients eat well, and families have peace of mind knowing that their loved ones are getting a good meal, but aren’t struggling with the preparation that can be challenging for some.

Meals on Wheels are delivered by Community Care volunteers, who gather each day to collect their assignments along with the food that is transported in insulated containers. The program depends upon such volunteers in order to deliver more than 20,000 meals annually.

In addition to the hot meals, frozen meals can also be ordered through Community Care. All food is prepared in accordance with the Canada Food Guide and special dietary options are available.

Social Interaction

But the program is not just about the food. One of the most important aspects of the Meals on Wheels service – for clients and their families – is the social interaction and safety component that comes with a quick check-in from the volunteers bringing the food.

If for some reason a client is not home, is not well or cannot get to the door, the volunteers report back to Community Care staff, who notify family members. For some clients, the brief visit with the volunteer may be the only social interaction they get that day, and it’s very much appreciated.

For more information about Meals on Wheels, or any Community Care programs and services: 705-324-7323 or www.ccckl.ca