Southern Maine Agency on Aging for decades has been providing nutritious and delicious home-delivered meals to homebound older adults in Cumberland and York counties. 

In the Windham area, five meals each week to each participant are delivered by volunteers and agency staff. The meals are delivered four days a week and generally arrive between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30p.m. Meals are delivered frozen or preheated, depending on the client’s wishes.

Meals on Wheels is more than just a meal; it is also a wellness check and friendly visit. Volunteers and staff are trained to make sure that clients are safe when they make their delivery. This brief check helps to provide peace of mind to clients and their families.

All meals provided through Meals on Wheels are approved by a Maine registered dietitian and prepared in USDA-inspected kitchens. Each meal is designed to meet one-third of the federal dietary reference intake for a healthy and balanced diet.

Entrees generally feature a protein main dish, a side dish and a vegetable. The meals are also served with a small loaf of bread. Clients can also receive one quart of milk per week. Several meal options are available for those with dietary concerns: standard, low-sodium, vegetarian, gluten-free and pureed meals. If you have any additional dietary concerns, contact SMAA.

There is no income eligibility requirement for Meals on Wheels. A $3.50 per meal donation is recommended in order to keep the program going. However, donations of all sizes are welcome and no one will ever be turned away if unable to contribute at the selected rate.

You may qualify for the Meals on Wheels program if you are:

• Age 60 or older
• Primarily homebound or have trouble getting out
• Unable to regularly prepare nutritious meals
• Able to accept meals during the delivery time frame
• Agree to an in-home nutritional assessment, which will be completed within nine business days of the first delivery to determine full eligibility.

Do you have a short-term need? Sometimes a temporary health problem is all it takes to disrupt the normal cooking routine – just when good nutrition is necessary to heal and recover from surgery or illness. Meals on Wheels can help, even on a short-term basis.

For more information, call 1-800-427-7411.

Senior Center Lunch

The monthly luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 9, at the Lakes Region Senior Center, Little Falls Activity Center in Gorham. The menu includes a variety of soups, chowder, stews, chili, rolls, corn bread and dessert, all for $5.

Weatherman Tom Johnston (perhaps better known as TJ Thunder) from Channel 6 will be the guest speaker at 12:15 p.m.

Kay Soldier welcomes reader ideas for column topics of interest to seniors. She can be reached by email at [email protected], or write to 114 Tandberg Trail, Windham, ME 04062.