Think Davidson County Meals on Wheels just provides food? Volunteers are more important than you know
When thinking about the organization Meals on Wheels, few realize the importance of the program besides just providing food. For many senior citizens, it can also be a critical lifeline to the outside world.
On July 1, a volunteer with the Davidson County Meals on Wheels program could not make contact with one of her clients. After peeking in the window, she spotted him unresponsive on the floor and called 911. The man was taken to the hospital to receive treatment and ultimately recovered.
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“When we called the family to check on how he was doing, he told us he still had his father because of our volunteer,” said Chris Bitterman, Davidson County Senior Services Volunteer Services Coordinator.
Earlier in the year, Bitterman said one of their volunteers was making a delivery and could hear someone calling for help and contacted a police officer who happened to be in the parking lot of the apartment complex. He said when they went in the client had fallen and was trapped in a pool of their own waste.
“This was on a Monday morning, and all (the person) could remember was it happened after the Duke-Carolina game. That game was on Saturday; they had been there for over 40 hours. If it wasn’t for the volunteer, who knows how long they could have been there,” said Bitterman.
He says although delivering food is the main purpose of the program, the safety of senior citizens is the most important role of Meals on Wheels and the need to have volunteers is crucial.
“It’s so much more than just a daily meal, it is also a daily wellness check,” said Thessia Everhart-Roberts, director of Davidson County Senior Services. “There have been many volunteers who have found clients unresponsive or have fallen. It happened to me when I was delivering meals... Without that daily check who knows what would have happened."
But due to the pandemic and the recent skyrocketing fuel prices, volunteers for this program are dwindling. Davidson County Senior Services is in urgent need of volunteers for the Meals on Wheels program.
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Davidson County has 23 routes that provide a daily wellness check and nutritional meal to home-bound seniors. Each route serves approximately 12 to 15 clients. Delivery takes less than two hours, and volunteers choose their frequency including weekly, bi-monthly, monthly or as a substitute volunteer.
“We send out about 140 volunteers serving 1,200 meals a week. That is a lot of meals and a lot of people. This spring it has been difficult getting and retaining volunteers,” said Bitterman.
He said although volunteers are needed in every part of the county, they are most needed in the Silver Valley; Denton; Holly Grove; Pilgrim Church; Tyro; Cotton Grove and Thomasville areas.
Everhart-Roberts said prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 78% of the volunteer pool was age 60 and older, but many of those did not return following the pandemic. And with the recent surge in fuel prices they have lost even more.
Volunteers are also needed even more than ever because the program, which had reverted to delivering a week's worth of frozen meals at a time during the pandemic, is resuming delivery of a daily hot meal, according to Bitterman.
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Services like Meals on Wheels help enable seniors to age in their homes independently and avoid or delay placement in a long-term care facility. Senior Services does not charge for services which are primarily funded by state and federal grants and community donations. Clients are 60-years-old or older and are selected based on need and availability.
Everhart-Roberts said even those senior citizens who have family members or caregivers nearby, the Meals on Wheels program can be a
“Most of our volunteers end up becoming very attached to their clients. The clients are appreciative of the service and having someone to check on them, as well as the family members who are very thankful to have someone checking on their relative during the day. It is very rewarding,” said Everhart-Roberts.
Davidson County Meals on Wheels serves the following areas in the county: Central Davidson; Churchland; Cotton Grove; Denton (2 routes); Fairgrove; Hasty; Holly Grove; Noahtown; North Davidson (2 routes); Pilgrim; Pilot (2 routes); Reeds; Reedy Creek (2 routes); Silver Valley; Southmont; Tyro; Wallburg (2 routes) and West Lexington.
For more information on volunteering with Davidson County Meals on Wheels, call (336) 474-2646 or email chris.bitterman@davidsoncountync.gov. More information is also available at https://www.co.davidson.nc.us/337/Senior-Services.
General news reporter Sharon Myers can be reached at sharon.myers@the-dispatch.com. Follow her on Twitter @LexDispatchSM.
This article originally appeared on The Dispatch: Davidson County Senior Services in need of Meals on Wheels volunteers
