Home Delivered Meals, commonly referred to as “Meals on Wheels,” provides peace of mind for caregivers on so many levels. Many older adults are unable to manage their nutritional needs – this might be due to physical limitations, lack of transportation, limited kitchen skills, or just forgetfulness. Even if someone is capable of getting some food around for themselves, how confident are you that it is nutritionally balanced and meets their dietary requirements?
Milestone Senior Services provides Home Delivered Meals throughout Calhoun & Kalamazoo Counties. This program provides both ready-to-eat meals and frozen meals delivered right to the customer’s door each weekday. Ready-to-eat meals can either be a cold meal or a hot meal, in both cases, the customer can sit right down and eat it without having to prepare anything. Not only is this super convenient, but it also helps people remember to eat on a regular schedule, ensuring that at least one meal they get is nutritionally balanced and being provided without them having to think about it. Frozen meals are a great option for people who might be able to do a bit of preparation for themselves, but also need some good, healthy go-to meals ready to heat and eat. Liquid nutrition is also an option through our Home Delivered Meal program.
Home Delivered Meals are a great solution for caregivers who are not able to visit their loved one on a regular basis. In addition to knowing that they are getting adequate nutrition, the Meals on Wheels program provides a regular “wellness check.” Because the meals are delivered to the customers’ doors, we require that our delivery people see the client – this provides an opportunity to have a friendly interaction and to ensure the client is doing okay. If they do not answer the door, we call them; and if they don’t answer the phone our office follows up with a designated contact so that someone can check on them to make sure they are okay.
Milestone ensures a high level of quality and nutrition in all of our meals. Whether hot, cold, or frozen, all meals are made from scratch and provide between one- and two-thirds of the recommended daily allowance of nutritional needs. Additionally, all meals are made with less than 850 mg sodium, fall between 80 to 110 grams of carbohydrate, and are free from trans-fats. Milestone also offers a variety of specialized options to address specific medical or allergenic dietary needs.
Many older adults and people with disabilities qualify for grant-funded Home Delivered Meal service; however, the program is available to anyone in our service area, so even if someone doesn’t qualify for the “free” service, they can pay a low price to receive Home Delivered Meals.
The majority of our Meals on Wheels customers are long-term, on-going clients; however, we also offer the services on a short-term basis. There are any number of reasons that someone may only need the service temporarily – it’s a great option for people returning home after a hospital stay who are going to be laid up for a while, or for someone who doesn’t drive in the winter but has no trouble accessing their community in the warmer months.
Milestone’s Home Delivered Meal program meets the needs of each individual customer. Some customers only receive service a couple days a week, some get a delivery every weekday, and some receive multiple meals – the delivery schedule is very customizable to ensure we are meeting the individual need of each client.
If you are interested in learning more about Home Delivered Meals for yourself or someone you care for, contact our office at (269) 382-0515, or go visit our Nutrition Services page. Discover Milestone. We’re here to help.
