More than a Meal

What does a warm, nutritious meal mean to you? It makes your taste buds happy, fills your growling stomach and may be a time when you gather with family or friends to socialize around the table. As children, many of us thought these meals magically appeared but as adults we know the work that goes into planning meals, grocery shopping, bringing the groceries home, and preparing food. For some older adults in our community, these aspects of getting a meal on the table are challenging. For those on fixed incomes, budgets are tight. For those with illness or disabilities, grocery shopping and cooking may be overwhelming or impossible. But for seniors enrolled in Springwell’s Home-Delivered Meals Program, when their driver arrives at the door each day with a nutritious meal, lunch becomes a magical experience again.

During the worst of the pandemic, we all were impacted by the challenges of safely getting food, which heightened our awareness of the hardships that many people face all the time. Fortunately, Wellesley has many services to help seniors facing hardships. As a federally designated Area Agency on Aging, Springwell is charged with creating a plan to address the needs of seniors in Wellesley and home delivered meals are a critical part of that plan.

The Home Delivered Meals Program provides seniors with a hot lunch delivered to their door by a friendly driver up to 5 days per week. The lunch contains at least 1/3 of the daily Recommended Dietary Allowance of nutrients, and a variety of menus are available to meet special dietary needs for several medical issues. The program is open to anyone who is age 60 or older and has a physical, emotional, or cognitive impairment and/or has inadequate facilities to prepare nutritionally adequate meals. Springwell’s program also provides meals to those who are unable to attend a community dining site and/or lack a support system to assist with meal preparation.

A Home Delivered Meals driver isn’t just someone who gets a meal from one place to another. They play a key role in reducing isolation for many seniors. For some who are home bound and live alone, the driver may be the only person they see on many days. Drivers provide a daily check-in on the well-being of the person and can also provide important contact information to seniors who might not otherwise have a way to learn about supports that are available. Springwell’s Home Delivered Meals Supervisor coordinates a team of drivers who are carefully selected, trained, and supervised.

Home Delivered Meals drivers are vital to the success of the service, and they are often people who are looking to give back to their community. In a world where so many things can be automated, the delivery of a nutritious meal still needs the human touch of a person bringing it to the door with a cheerful greeting. Recent retirees who want to keep busy, earn a little extra income and stay connected find this part time job is ideal. Parents and caregivers of school age children also like working as drivers because the hours are during the school day. In Wellesley, approximately 75 meals are delivered daily, and more drivers are needed to make sure each older adult who needs a meal receives one.

Can you help alleviate food insecurity and isolation for older adults in Wellesley? If you know someone who would benefit from home delivered meals, you can find more information here. If you would like to help by becoming a part time driver or know someone who would be interested in this job, learn more here.

About Springwell, Inc. (www.springwell.com)
Springwell is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to helping people who need long-term services and supports to remain independent and healthy in the setting of their choice. Services are made possible in part by contracts with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs, MassHealth, contracts with insurance and health care providers and through the generosity of individuals and institutions that provide critical philanthropic support. Springwell is grateful for important funding support of our home-delivered meals program in Wellesley from the Wellesley Hills Junior Women's Club.