Meals boost for Renfrewshire’s elderly

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Renfrewshire Council is to launch a new community meals service which will see the introduction of a hot meal delivery service 365 days a year.

This new service will be a first for Renfrewshire. Currently, older people and other vulnerable adults who receive help with their meals rely on a mix of their home carers cooking their food, meals delivered by WRVS, and the delivery of frozen meals which they defrost and cook themselves.

Operating seven days a week across Renfrewshire, this new service will be available at lunchtimes and in the evening. Meals will meet nutritional standards for older people, and clients will have a choice of menus, snacks or hot meals.

The new community meals service will significantly improve the quality and consistency of meals-at-home services and will free up the time that home carers spend on cooking, allowing them to concentrate on helping clients with care needs.

Councillor Tommy Williams, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Community and Family Care Policy Board, said: “This new service will benefit hundreds of vulnerable older residents in Renfrewshire. We looked at the existing meals-at-home arrangements to see where we could improve the consistency and quality of service. That is why we decided to become one of a few councils in Scotland to offer our clients a year round hot meal service. Now older people will be able to enjoy a choice of hot food delivered to their home at both lunchtime or in the evening according to their preference.”

The community meals service will be introduced to different areas of Renfrewshire over the next six months. Once fully operational, Renfrewshire Council will be providing around 5000 meals a week to over 500 people at home, most of whom are older people.

Over the last two years the Council has been conducting pilot projects providing both hot and frozen meals across different areas of Renfrewshire. The hot meal service was considered most popular, one person commenting: “ My family worry I don’t eat well enough. Being on your own you quite often make do with snacks so to be able to choose a good meal and have it delivered when I want it will help me with my appetite and will satisfy my family that I’m keeping well”

A series of tasting events held for service users were also well received with one participant saying, “ I’d find this type of meal very acceptable, if delivered at a time when I might need it “

Likewise representatives from Renfrewshire Seniors Forum were enthusiastic in approving the initiative. A member of the Forum said “This is a great idea. Having a hot meal service available every day of the year and delivered when it’s needed will make a big difference to older peoples lives”.

A dedicated team of staff from Renfrewshire Council will operate and manage the community meals service and a new fleet of specially adapted vehicles will deliver the hot meals to clients. The service will operate 7 days a week, 365 days a year between 11.45am - 2pm and 4.30pm - 6.30pm.

Press Release: Wednesday 2 August 2006