We Deliver Meals & More
Well, we have reached that time of the year again, where the days are short and the temperatures are in the single digits. During this time of year, our older adults depend on their home delivered meals more than any other time of the year. Our volunteers deliver peace of mind along with nutrition to help keep seniors healthy during the colder months. Our meals that we provide are always a great way to ensure an older adults are receiving a meal that is healthy and nutritious for them!
When we deliver a meal we are not just delivering food to eat for that day but we are improving their life and helping to prevent illnesses. Since the delicious meals we serve are 1/3 of the recommended dietary intake for an older adult, the meal helps boost their immune system. Having a strong immune system during these months is crucial considering this is the peak of cold and flu season. Having the flu or a cold can be far more dangerous for an older adults and the consequences can be fatal.
Each meal is accompanied with a Well-Being Check that can be just as important as the meal. During this time of year, we do encounter a large amount of older adults who are in need of medical attention and do not know where to turn. Our well-being checks can help thousands of vulnerable older adults in Kane County.
Common winter emergencies can range from noticing a head cold to life threatening slip and falls.
Cold and flu season is in full effect. Colder temperatures leave older adults more susceptible to illness. When we notice that there is an older adult who looks a little under the weather or could be coming down with a cold, we notify their family right away. It is important to us to reach out to them at the first signs before it could potentially become something more serious.
With all of the icy and snowy weather, slips and falls are all too common. Our hundreds of volunteers have detected older adults who have fallen. When a volunteers encounters an older adult who has fallen, they automatically spring into action, calling 911 immediately. Our compassionate volunteers will also call their family to make sure they are aware of the slip and fall.
Many older adults are reluctant to turn up their heat because they are on a fixed income. Blankets, scarves and jackets can only go so far to prevent hypothermia. A cold home puts older adults at high risk and can be deadly. If a volunteer notices the signs of hypothermia they will treat this as a life threatening situation and call 911.
Feeding an older adult is only part of what we do during the cold weather months. Our mission is to make sure all older adults are healthy, safe and able to age in place. For that we say thank you to the hundreds of dedicated volunteers who help and our loyal truck drivers who go out every day and brace the cold all to make sure the older adults in our neighborhoods are taken care of.
Worried About A Loved One?
Do you have a loved one who lives alone? To get peace of mind that they are being checked on, consider signing up for Well Being Checks. Click below to learn more and to sign up.
