When islander David Mielke’s independent grandmother was 103, he moved her to the island and set her up in her own apartment. Afflicted with arthritis in her hands, she could no longer cook, so Mielke called in Meals on Wheels, a program he called a “godsend” in the last months of his grandmother’s life.
“I cannot say enough good things about it and the people who volunteer on Vashon,” he said in a recent phone interview
Despite the importance of the local program, which provides frozen meals to seniors 60 and older in King County, it is facing financial cutbacks, high demand and a long waiting list for services.
In fact, a recent email from Adam Porter, the manager of the program in this area, indicates that because of a surge of interest, Meals on Wheels could end up delivering 58,000 meals more than it had budgeted for this year. In fact, he said, demand for the service has increased nearly 40 percent since 2012.However, the program does not have the funds to meet the need, largely because of an $800,000 United Way funding cut this year to Senior Services (now Sound Generations), which affected a variety of programs, including Meals on Wheels.
To deal with demand, the nutrition program is enrolling only 25 clients each month — a 75 percent reduction in typical enrollment. This step will create a five-month waiting list for new clients, Porter said.
Alice Bloch has managed the program on Vashon for the last year and recently expressed concern about that extended wait.
“For someone recovering from hip surgery, that is impossible for them,” she said.
Only about 20 islanders at a time receive the meals — some for years, and others when they have a temporary need, Bloch said. Three new people recently signed up, she added, and she is sure more island seniors could benefit, but because of the recently announced problems with the program, she does not feel she can work to bring more people in.
“I am reluctant to put out the word until something can be done about the waiting list,” she said.
Meals on Wheels delivers food nation-wide, but Bloch said local groups set their own rules regarding eligibility. While the meals are intended primarily for those who cannot get out on their own, in King County, only one person in the household needs to be homebound to qualify for the meals. For more than a decade, a $3 donation has been requested for the meals, though that amount has recently increased to $5. Other family members may also participate, but are asked to pay the full cost of the meal, which previously was set at $4.50 but has been increased to $5 as well.
The meals for this area are made in a prison in the Spokane area, Bloch said, and five volunteers deliver the meals and Ensure supplements once a week to participating islanders.
“They deliver the food and spend time with (the seniors),” Bloch said. “That is often just as important as the food.”
Mielke said that while the food was better than what his grandmother had received at her former home in Blaine, it was the personal attention that was extremely valuable. Meals are delivered on Tuesdays, and the volunteers would stay an hour or more, visiting with her, he added.
“It made such a difference in the quality of her life,” he said. “On Tuesdays, she always looked her best. It was the highlight of her week.”
To help with the budget shortfall, Bloch recommended financial donations, which can be dropped off at the Vashon Senior Center or sent to Sound Generations.
