Meals on Wheels will continue despite closure of seniors’ centre
By GILLIAN SLADE on March 17, 2020.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade The Veiner Centre has been closed due to COVID-19 precautions but the city says Meal of Wheels will continue to be delivered. Aaron Nelson, manager community connections and support community development, says closing the seniors’ centre was a decision made under the guidance of Alberta Health Services. Seniors are a demographic that is most at risk for severe complications if they test positive for COVID-19. Meals on Wheels is considered an “essential” part of community service that provides meals to some of the most vulnerable people in the community. On any given day drivers, many of them seniors themselves, deliver between 60 and 90 meals to the homes of individuals. Many depend on the service for a hot nutritious meal and many express appreciation for the friendly drivers making the delivery. It is often a connection to the community for people who are not able to get out and about. So even while the Veiner Centre is closed, kitchen/restaurant staff prepare the meals and ready them for a host of drivers to deliver each morning. Nelson says steps have been taken to protect drivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been supplied with masks, and equipped with hand sanitizer. So far one of the drivers has declined to continue volunteering during the pandemic. Staff are ready to step in and do deliveries if that becomes necessary in order to maintain the service, said Nelson. 9-8
