Meals on Wheels: COVID-19 delivery system?

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

I was visiting my dad, who is terminally ill with metastatic pancreatic cancer, and my mom yesterday. I saw the Meals on Wheels delivery car arrive and went out to meet the elderly man (maybe early 80s) so he didn't have to bring the food all the way up to the door. I wore a mask on and was shocked to see that he didn't. I stepped back from his approach and asked why. He just stared at me.

I panicked a little and turned and went back inside, figuring he could just leave the meal at the door.

I told Mom why I came back in without the meal. She said, "Oh, I recognize him," (she used to be one of the delivery volunteers), and went out to greet him. She spoke to him for a bit and came back in. She said he didn't get close to her. He left the meal on the porch. My husband retrieved it.

But here's the thing. (Well, one of the things): My parents are Dems. Trump despisers. Not COVID-19 deniers. But they have this weird idea that as long as it's "just family" or people they know, they won't get the virus from them. Even aside from my 20-something year-old niece who continues to have trysts in parked cars with men she meets on Craigs List, my family members are not as careful about COVID precautions as my husband and I wish they were. And, of course, even if they all were very careful, the pandemic complicates the life for a dying person and their family in an already stressful and complicated situation.

I decided to contact Meals on Wheels about the delivery person. First reached someone, at the main number I found online for Meals on Wheels, who claimed to be just a referral service. She referred me to look online to find the local organization. I said, since her only job was referral, maybe she could give me the contact info for the local group.

They were the PA Dept of Aging and the Dauphin County Dept of Aging. Bottom line, what I found out, was that Meals on Wheels has no policy on the delivery people wearing masks.

"Since they're volunteers..."

"If your parents don't think it's safe, they can cancel the deliveries."

So, people who are delivering meals to the elderly population all across this nation aren't being told by Meals on Wheels to follow COVID safety measures.

Mom thought I was overreacting. "They often leave the meals at the door," she said. However, she also admitted that for many, the MoW delivery people are a welcome and often rare source of human interaction.

So, while I know these MoW deliverers are doing a wonderful thing and should be commended, what if they're delivering COVID along with the meals?

Maybe I am overreacting. In addition to my Dad's diagnoses, in the past six weeks, my cousin had a mastectomy, my sister's 26-year old step-daughter was hospitalized and in coma with uncontrollable hypertension, my niece's 94 year old grandmother had a heart attack, and, just two days ago, my Mom's sister died. Oh, and long-standing divisions between my siblings have blown up.

As if Trump weren't enough.

[iamateacher]

1. I am on the board of our local Meals on Wheels

It is not a national organization, it is made up of local groups that decided to start the service and it is mostly volunteer. Each group have their own rules and boards. Mine, a community near Philly has masks and contactless delivery. There is a mask mandate in Pa., but maybe this group thinks they don't have to follow it since the volunteer is outside. But it is up to the local organization.
I am sorry for the stress you are under. The counties in the middle of the state have resisted Covid restrictions from the beginning.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

8. Yes, I was surprised to hear that there isn't a national board. I'll bet a lot of people don't know

That.

As for being outside, of course. But, again, I know people often open the door to take the meals and to talk with the volunteer. A good thin in normal times. But this is why even if the volunteers don't need a mask if they're just dropping off the meal a the doorstep, they should have one at hand.

The fellow delivering to my parents did not have one visible. And he didn't speak up to say he did, so I very much doubt it. And it would be so easy.

[PRETZEL]

2. Unfortunately not familiar with Dauphin County

and whether or not they run the program from the AAA or through vendors. Montgomery uses vendors and we have done many things in addition to mask. One of the biggest changes was to an all frozen delivery system done once a week to avoid contact. We've provided funding for them to purchase PPE for their volunteers as well.

It's not a good situation where consumers who need the benefit of these meals not to have confidence in them.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

11. What is AAA?

Sorry if it's obvious. My brain is apparently on strike lately.

[Ferryboat]

3. My wife works for meals on wheels

In Snohomish county. Required to mask and glove up.

What bothers me is she has to enter a low income apartment building infested with bedbugs.

The scrubs and shoe coverings to prevent her getting infested come out of my pocket.

Worth it to keep her safe.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

7. Thanks to your wife and to you for supporting her volunteering.

I don't mean to bash Meals on Wheels, but if their good work is unsafe, it should be addressed.

[Yeehah]

4. Good post to illuminate this issue!

Thanks for making it an issue with your local group.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

9. Unfortunately, with more info about MoW, it becomes clearer that nothing can really be done.

As with all cases related to this pandemic. Statistically, odds are, any person you meet is not carrying to virus and if they are they won't infect you. But pretending that for this reason we don't have to take precautions is why we've got so many cases and deaths per capita here in the US compared to other countries.

[Yeehah]

10. I think the best thing to do is call the local senior citizen organization that handles MOW

and complain if the drivers are not wearing masks during deliveries. Just like you did. They might do the right thing or they might not. But they definitely need to hear the complaints. There is simply no question a mask should be worn by those dealing with senior citizens.

[pnwmom]

5. I am so sorry about all the stressed and losses and grief your family is going through.

And I agree with you about Meals on Wheels. They should absolutely be insisting on masks.

[Loryn]

12. I deliver MoW here on the Oregon Coast

I don't understand why it isn't a requirement to wear a mask, but apparently it isn't. I was provided with masks and gloves back in March, but
there was no mandate to wear them.

I really don't go into anyone's home. I have some very ill people who receive meals, one is a hoarder, I don't know about bedbugs, but I am sure there are bugs, and I'm not going in.

A few months ago, one woman on my route was offended by my mask (she loves Trump.) She also thinks the fires were started by Antifa, but I digress. Last week she needed a flu shot, and needed a mask to go to Rite Aid. I gave her an extra one, and she was so happy she told me she loved me.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

13. Thanks for doing that. And I'm happy to be learning that some of the local MoW orgs are at least

encouraging COVID safety measures.

One reason I posted my OP was to let people know, especially those who might have family members getting MoW delivered, that this potential widespread risk is out there.

Funny about that Trumpster you gave a mask to. She is lucky to have you, in more ways than one. Not sure I would have been so magnanimous with such a person, but I'm unquestionably low on energy and patience these days.

[Loryn]

14. I understand low energy and patience

You have a lot going on, and the last thing you need to worry about is Covid on top of everything else.

Take care of yourself as best you can. I lost my dad last year to colorectal cancer, after several years of dementia.
Volunteering in the community was very important to him, and as time goes on I find it equally important to me.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

19. I'm sorry about your dad.

And thanks for your kind words.

[lostnfound]

15. Wow that's a lot to deal with. And you are not overreacting.

I’m sorry for the terrible news you’ve had lately.

Calling MoW was the right thing to do. Unbelievable. Don’t they care about the people they are serving??

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

18. Thank you.

It's a matter of safety, and takes so little to wear a mask.

[cwydro]

16. Please don't cause problems for this essential service.

I worked for our county and when the pandemic came, volunteered to deliver food for a short time. (Not home-delivered meals).

We were encouraged to wear masks and gloves, provided with them, but no one can make you do so out on your run.

Recipients were encouraged to let the delivery person leave the food boxes on the doorstep/porch/whatever.

This 80 year old man you’re complaining about is taking time out of his day to help. Please don’t cause trouble for these devoted volunteers. NO ONE needs to come out to meet them. You chose to do that. Your own mother told you so.

Why not take some time and see how you can deliver food in your community? Perhaps prepare some food for your own parents that can be frozen and re-heated?