MEALS ON WHEELS STORY
Meals on Wheels For The Aged is a multi-faceted welfare service aimed at helping the elderly of our country to live out their sunset years in dignity and relative comfort. The service includes Old-Age Homes, Frail-Care Centres, Service Centres For Senior Citizens, and the well known Meals on Wheels For The Aged meal delivery service. All of these services function under the
umbrella of Meals on Wheels Community Services, a non-profit organization that operates under the government registration number ADRA SA (SAU) 002-706 NPO. The Meals on Wheels service utilizes voluntary helpers who prepare and deliver nourishing meals to the disadvantaged elderly in the comfort of their own homes. As a rule, the service enables Senior Citizens to remain in the community for far longer than would otherwise be the case. We like to believe that the service also enables Senior Citizens to enjoy better health for far longer than would otherwise be the case. Senior Citizens from all walks of life benefit from the Meals on Wheels For The Aged service, and people from all walks of life make up the voluntary teams. The meals are usually prepared in specially equipped Meals on Wheels kitchen in Plumstead and are then delivered by way of a special delivery vehicle that is manned by a driver and a "hopper." "Hoppers" not only present the meals to the Senior Citizens, but they also lend an ear to the lonely, offer guidance and advice wherever this is needed, and refer Senior Citizens to various other services that can make their retirement years more pleasant and more meaningful. Dignity is a sweet fruit that Senior Citizens thrive on, and it is a sweet fruit that we who see to the needs of the aged are always trying to preserve. To many "old friends," the acceptance of any kind of help is often considered as something undesirable - something undignified - an indication that they have failed in life. To save Senior Citizens from this "indignity" we sometimes make a voluntary token charge for the meals that are delivered. This helps the recipient to feel that he or she has paid for the meal - even if the meal does cost far more than the amount that is tendered.
