Doris pulls back the curtain to peer out her front window, wincing at the arthritis pain in her fingers. Tony should be here any minute. She smiles at the thought of her special friend. The Meals on Wheels delivery driver she has grown so fond of is the only person 84-year-old Doris will see all week.
In a neighboring town, a tremulous hand slips out of the door, just far enough to grab the bag holding her precious daily meal. Just a few months ago, 78-year-old Mary would have immediately closed the door. Today, she musters her burgeoning courage and opens it wider to see the smiling face of her meal delivery driver. Since kind-eyed Eddie started bringing her meal every morning, her paralyzing fear of the outside world is slowly dissipating, day by day, little by little. With Eddie’s encouragement, she hopes to soon venture out to the ramp outside her home.
For close to 2,000 Rockingham County seniors, their meal driver is a lifeline—to nutritious meals, yes, but also to human connection. Established in 1978, Meals on Wheels (MOW) of Rockingham County delivers 370,000 meals per year to residents over 60 who are unable to shop and cook for themselves. Most live alone in a world of stifling solitude. For a heartbreaking 22% of home delivery clients like Doris, their driver is their only regular source of human interaction, something Executive Director Tim Diaz says, “keeps us up at night.”
In most cases, drivers deliver meals once daily, Monday through Friday, usually in the morning. This can vary, depending on the client’s needs. The aim is to deliver the meals at the same time each day to provide clients with the comfort of routine. These deliveries are also available to those under 60 in certain circumstances such as recovery from surgery.
An integral part of the home delivery is a wellness check. While some elderly clients have family nearby or neighbors who check in on them, others do not. The driver becomes the eyes and ears in the home. Part of their job is to notice if the client seems unwell, and to look around the home for trip hazards. Any red flags prompt a call to the client’s emergency contact. In the event of a serious medical problem, the driver will call 911.
Diaz takes the significance of MOW to heart, riding along on some deliveries to get a direct view. Witnessing the close bonds between drivers and clients has touched him deeply. The caring works both ways, the client often inquiring about the driver’s life and troubles. “You told me you were going to get your knee checked out—how did it go?” asked one client of her driver. Another client determined that her driver didn’t look well and told him she was going to call his mother. “That’s the human connection,” says Diaz. “It’s a big part of health, beyond physical nutrition.”
These health benefits—physical and beyond—were transformational for 86-year-old Rita. Suffering from leukemia and a plethora of other maladies, she lived in painful isolation, her home carefully sealed against the germs that endangered her weakened immune system. Sick and depressed, she had no appetite and was eating little. After a year of Meals on Wheels deliveries, she called the organization in tears of joy. She is now eating regularly, gaining strength, and seeing marked improvement in her medical tests. She counts the meals and her driver among her greatest blessings.
In addition to home deliveries, MOW provides meals at 12 senior centers throughout the county, and transportation to and from the centers—in some towns, using local partners like COAST. These group meals bring lonely seniors together to meet new people, bond through a communal dining experience, and play games that bring out their joyous inner child. According to Diaz, a “rebel ukulele player” might even show up occasionally to entertain. Transportation is available to other destinations as well, including medical appointments, the pharmacy, and the grocery store.
The idea of delivering meals to those in need is not a new one. The concept of Meals on Wheels originated in the United Kingdom during World War II. The National Leadership organization Meals on Wheels America was founded in 1974 to support local programs like MOW of Rockingham County. Meals are free to clients, but many give a voluntary $3.00 donation. State and federal funding covers the cost of only a limited number of meals annually, and local fundraising is crucial to provide the remaining meals needed.
Diaz has seen firsthand the positive impact of this nonprofit on the residents it serves. He is a passionate advocate for maintaining the dignity of these seniors. “They still have a lot to offer,” he says. “They have every right to be part of the community. We act as a bridge to make that happen.”
"Seniors still have a lot to offer. They have every right to be part of the community. We act as a bridge to make that happen.”