Although not the only ones, seniors experience loneliness and the challenges of social isolation at alarming rates. Our partners at Meals on Wheels are helping to change that. See how below:
HOW MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAMS ARE STAYING CONNECTED WITH SENIORS
- Telephone check ins. Meals on Wheels of Rowan County, North Carolina is now needing to drop meals off at the door, so they have found a way to provide a bit of socialization remotely. Through their “Comfort Calls” program, volunteers call clients daily to check in, say hello and make sure they are OK.
- New volunteers. Because many Meals on Wheels volunteers are older, they are, themselves, in the COVID-19 high-risk category. While they remain in their homes to stay self, many younger volunteers, finding themselves with more time on their hands, have stepped in to help.
- Community email, letters and cards. Senior Coastsiders in Half Moon Bay, CA created an email address (letters@seniorcoastsider.org) to enable their entire community (including schools using it as a class project) to send messages of encouragement, stories and photos. The contents are photographed and printed out to include with meals.
- Volunteers wave from the car and seniors wave from the door. While we can’t give a hug right now, it’s still important that to able to see seniors in-person to check on them and send additional care, if needed. Therefore, we still make sure to connect –even though the best we can sometimes do is a friendly wave from the car..
- Partner organizations give seniors new ways to connect. Covia’s Well Connected program helps seniors connect with each other — one-on-one and in groups via telephone conference calls. This way, seniors who share similar interests can gain some valuable peer time together.
To read more, click HERE.
