A heart-warming meal and a check-in that everything is okay – it’s a service that has become more important than ever in these isolated COVID times.
These duties have long been part of the way Meals on Wheels operates, well before the pandemic impacted our communities.
The virus has, however, changed the way the community’s vital service operates.
Narrabri Meals on Wheels service coordinator Donna MacMillan said the organisation introduced strict COVID rules from the beginning.
Where possible, the transporting of meals is restricted to one person, otherwise it is conducted strictly in a social distancing fashion.
It has also tried to limit the number of people in its Maitland Street office.
But while they’ve found ways of adapting to the pandemic, she said the service has stepped up to keep an eye on their clients’ vulnerability and ensure they have all they need without leaving their home.
“One of the most important things we do is a wellness check,” she said.
“We check to see if they need anything.”
She said the service used baskets now to place their meals and items in, to ensure social distancing requirements are met.
The volunteers’ interaction with clients is also done while socially distancing.
Meals on Wheels ensures its clients have all of their essentials and has also provided sanitation packs with items including wipes and disinfectant.
“We’re also a big supplier of toilet paper,” Mrs MacMillan joked.
Reflecting on the service’s importance while in lockdown, she said some clients were limited to only phone calls with family members and even had socialising with neighbours and friends curtailed.
“It’s them knowing that someone is going to call in every day and check how they are,” she said of Meals on Wheels’ role.
“A lot of them can’t see their family. It’s very isolating for the elderly,” she said.
She said the technology involved in being able to visit public places also proved challenging for some clients.
“Even getting out of the home proves a challenge,” she said.
“Some can’t understand QR codes.
“We want everyone to know that we can look after them and give them assistance when they need it.
Mrs MacMillan paid tribute to the local service’s band of almost 180 volunteers who work with the three staff members to keep the wheels of the service turning.
“They are very good at complying with the restrictions,” she said.
The organisation distributes between 50 and 55 meals in Narrabri every day. The meals are sourced from Whiddon and are packed and ready to collect and distribute.
“Our clients want hot, fresh meals,” Mrs MacMillan said.
When The Courier called in to see the collection of meals from Whiddon, local volunteers Max Pringle OAM as well as husband-and-wife duo John and Christine Watling were ready to load the hot meals in their vehicles and check up on the service’s clients.
Max Pringle OAM loads meals into his car, ready to distribute across Narrabri.
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