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Services for the Elderly From Canadian Nutrition Notes Meals on Wheels At the present time there are six centres in which Mealsâ€"on-Wheels projects are in op- eration (Brantford, Peterborough, Winnipeg, Toronto, Calgary and Kingston). At least six other centres have projects at a definite plan- ning stage. The first Meals-on-Wheels project in Canâ€" ada. that in Brantford, was supported by the Red Cross, as is one of those presently planned in Toronto. Other projects are spon- sored by church groups or volunteer social service agencies. (In the United States there are four Meals-on-Wheels projects sponsored by hospitals and utilizing dietary department facilities . In a fully developed Meals-on-Wheels serv- ice there is usually delivery five days a week of a hot noon meal and a cold evening meal. Most of those now operating in Canada in their initial stages of trial and development are providing one hot noon meal per week. although one at least has commenced with a hot meal for five days per week, It must be appreciated that home delivery of meals is a complex operation in food preparation, packing, transportatiOn and serv- ing, requiring a large number of volunteers There are multiple problems of organization. food preparation and handling, sanitation, fi- nancial administration. Apart from administra- tion and marketing the food preparation re- quires usually four to six workers. who also pack the prepared food into the hOtpaCks and hampers for transportation. While the food handling is generally under supervision or guidance of a professional dietitian, the use Welland Cily Women's Institute entertained at o luncheon for u visilor, Mrs. D. Fry, post president of Dorset Women's Institute, England. Mrs. Fry is sealed. Mrs. J. T. Green. left, pen pol of Mrs. Fry, presented her with o silvar Maple Leaf pin. FALL 1966 Al lefl, Mary Silverlhorn, l966 winner of the Flora Durnin Grey County Onlclrio Women's lnslilule Scholarâ€" ship, with Miss Flora Durnin, recenlly relired County Home Economist, centre, and the newiy appointed County Home Economist, Miss Lem McCormich. Mary has completed thirteen 4H Homemaking Club projecls and is assistant leader of the present local club. Her plans are lo attend Teachers' College this fall' and to leach Kindergarten next year. of kitchen facilities not designed for this type of operation demands additional caution reâ€" garding sanitation. In the most common method of operation three volunteers will ac~ company each car: a driver. one volunteer to handle the hot-packs and hampers in the car to assist the server: a member who ac- tually takes the food into the home and serves it up for the client. Such a team of three members will commonly serve six to eight clients. Thus. without allowing for any reâ€" placements or rotation. providing service for IE clients requires a minimum of ten volâ€" unteers. for 24 a minimum of sixteen. who will give at least three hours of their time for each day of meal service. lEu‘imr'r Note: If (I tl-Ic'aIr-mi-Wheels service is m be provided in a mini] rzr'rm‘e might it no! be practical in not (1 Info] rcrmnrnm keeper to \‘upply hath the meals and their delivery as an experiment." There may he ammmniricr where I'nhmmer u'm’kt'rr are rm! araiinhh'J A pertinent question to answer with regard to home meal delivery. and one which deter- mines the scope of the operation within the commonity is. “Who can benefit from the service?" Can we agree that we are not henefitting an individual where the service promotes social isolation? It would seem ad- visable that for any recipient of longâ€"term meals-onâ€"wheels service the situation should be reviewed periodically to ascertain that soâ€" cial contacts are adequate to maintain a healthy mental outlook. and. if not. to determine what other mode of service is advisahle to encourage hroader social activity. Neither should home delivery of meals be permitted to be a half-step 35