March is National Nutrition Month as well as “March for Meals,” which celebrates the creation of the Meals on Wheels program. In honor of these observances, MVES is pleased to share this article on the impact of our home-delivered meals program.
It’s below 20 degrees and the early morning sun hasn’t managed to peek out yet, but Frank Liu still has a smile on his face. Frank has been a Meals on Wheels driver for Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) for 12 years. Meals need to be delivered during the scorching days of summer and the chilliest days of winter – but Frank wouldn’t have it any other way. He knows the residents along his route well, and he knows they’re depending on him.
“Some of the residents don’t really have anyone. Many of them do have family, but we can’t always see our parents as much as we’d like,” he observes.
MVES delivers over 650,000 meals every year to homes throughout the 11 towns and cities we serve. Some older adults and people with disabilities sign up for Meals on Wheels because they’re struggling with a limited or fixed income. There is a suggested donation of $2 per meal, but residents are welcome to pay what they feel they can afford, and no one is ever turned away.
Many people rely on MVES’ meal delivery program to receive nutritious meals they can prepare safely and easily.
Brenda Kerrigan, 85, began losing her vision as a young adult. She was always able to get around well, but when she broke her arm recently, everything changed. After a recovery stay with her daughter, Brenda returned to Stoneham.
“I wanted to come home. This is where I belong,” she explains. Her son, who lives close by, usually cooks their dinner, but home-delivered meals offer her a healthy lunch that’s safe and simple to prepare.
Meals on Wheels drivers like Frank Liu have two roles. They deliver meals, but they also provide social engagement and a daily wellness check that is reassuring for many residents and their loved ones. Some meal recipients are happy with a quick hello and a meal drop-off. Others look forward to chatting with their driver. It just depends on what makes the resident feel comfortable.
Mystic Valley Elder Services offers cultural meals as well as a variety of medically-tailored options such as low-lactose and renal-healthy. For Peter Guaragna, the heart-friendly meal plan was a big help after he was hospitalized with a heart attack. Although he was a cook in the U.S. Army – he was a Reservist between 1967 and 1973 – Peter maintains that doesn’t really count as cooking.
“I don’t cook, I mostly just heat things up,” he admits. “So the meal delivery is great for me.”
Like many Meals on Wheels recipients, Peter enjoys his chats with his MVES driver. Peter and Frank are especially fond of talking sports. Both are knowledgeable, but Peter’s lifelong love of baseball and statistics mean that, when it comes to baseball history, “he can’t beat me,” Peter laughs.
It’s not uncommon for meal recipients to kid with Frank this way, because they’ve become so comfortable with him. Asked about having Frank as a driver, Terese Coluntino first teases him, but then has nothing but compliments.
“He has a heart of gold,” Terese says. “Everyone at Mystic Valley has been great. Anything we need, we ask, and they’ve always been able to help.”
Frank started at MVES as a meal site volunteer after retiring from a career in the pharmaceutical industry. After three years of volunteering, he was looking for something more. After more than a decade delivering meals, he’s found his niche.
When someone doesn’t answer the door for their meal, drivers like Frank have a procedure to follow so the resident is tracked down and their safety is confirmed. Once in a while, he encounters someone who’s fallen or is ill and in need of help. On those days, a visit from a driver makes all the difference.
“It could’ve been much worse,” Frank says. “They could’ve been there alone for much longer.”
While the MVES team is sometimes called upon to respond to serious situations, most days are peaceful. Drivers like Frank know which residents appreciate having their meal placed in the fridge and who might need a reminder when there’s an extra meal in advance of a holiday. The drivers know which residents will meet them at the front door and which will invite them in for coffee and a chat. At the end of the day, MVES drivers know they’re providing peace of mind to residents and their loved ones, in addition to a nutritious meal.
As Jan Cinganelli says, after decades of worrying about grocery shopping and recipes and what you’ll prepare next, it’s nice to be able to choose whether or not you’re up for cooking.
“I’ve been there and done all this,” the 91-year-old explains with a smile. “If I don’t feel up to cooking, I don’t have to.”
To learn more about Meals on Wheels and other Nutrition Programs at Mystic Valley Elder Services, visit our Nutrition page or call 781-324-7705.
