Centenarian Edna’s Testimonial - written by her daughter Margaret.
Mum will turn 103 on in October this year and has been treated like royalty by her local Meals on Wheels since May of 2015. During this time we have come to know and love the office staff and volunteers and their dedication to providing a wonderful service with graciousness and a smile. Nothing is too much trouble. They really care about the people they provide meals for, never rushing, always with a smile, happy to brighten someone’s day with a chat.
Often at special times of the year beautifully presented and thoughtful surprises are delivered with the meals which provide a real thrill to the recipients. I am fortunate to have a wonderful network of people who keep an eye on Mum but it is Meals on Wheels who provide the backbone of the support, an important, reliable and continuous service without fail. They liaise with Mum and I on a regular basis and their service is faultless. At the slightest hiccup they don’t hesitate to ring me and on more than one occasion, Meals on Wheels have been able to assist with matters of a more serious nature. They have a great system that works.
If only her HCP service provider could take a page out of your book!
We like to let Mum take control, this is how she remains independent, living alone in her own home of 60 plus years. Meals on Wheels has payed a huge part in that. The meals are well proportioned and healthy and although there is a huge variety of choices, Mum is not adventurous and has her staple favourites. She often rings to give the staff her appraisal of the day’s meal.
Mum delights in saying she still has all her marbles – oh so true – and she still has all her own teeth to her Dentist’s delight. I take her for regular six monthly visits to her Dentist and GP who last November advised: blood pressure normal, heart is strong.
The Dentist and Doctor are brothers who share a waiting room. I always explain to Mum prior to leaving home that I really don’t like talking in waiting rooms. After a long silence, out of the blue on our recent visit she said to me in a stage whisper, "He had better do a good job this time or I won’t be back". All of a sudden pairs of waiting room eyes were on us, open in surprise. I had to say , "so far so good, you haven’t had any problems". The quiet resumed. There is a lot of humour in our relationship as you can imagine.
I mentioned to Mum that I had been asked to write to Meals on Wheels about her experience and was there anything in particular she would like me to relate. Her reaction was, "Meals on Wheels are excellent and they really listen to what you say, they really care. Sometimes I ring Kimi (at the Meals on Wheels service) and say, I had rice today Kimi, I prefer potato to rice", and the problem is solved. I cannot speak highly enough of the service provided and there is no one more qualified than a 102 year old to provide an honest appraisal.
There is a quiet underlying side to the Meals on Wheels service, a duty of care provided that is seldom acknowledged but of such importance, the service which quietly monitors the security, health, safety and wellbeing of the clients. It gives peace of mind to families and has played a huge part in keeping Mum at home. We were extremely grateful to see that in action a few years ago.
Mum had a nasty fall in her kitchen and was unable to move. She activated her personal alarm which was around her neck. The call was registered on the machine, as the light was blinking, so we know she activated it, but because of a Telstra line fault from the street to the house right at that time, the emergency call was not registered so no one was able to respond. It wasn’t until the Meals on Wheels volunteers arrived with lunch that the alert was raised when Mum didn't answer the door. I rushed home from work and when I arrived at mum’s, the ambulance was already in attendance and mum was transported to hospital. Mum had a plate and screws inserted into her badly broken leg. We are forever grateful to the volunteers of Meals on Wheels.
The service provided during the challenges of COVID lockdowns did not falter. In fact those multi-skilled volunteers took the service to the next level. It wasn’t until months later that I accidentally found out that a complimentary table service had been provided. It was explained to mum that it has to be meet and greet at the front door for safety reasons but mum with her persuasive ways on occasions was able to have a cup of tea and lunch served at the table, who by? Meals on Wheels of course.
Just a few weeks ago the care worker from the HCP service forgot to hang the washing out, a few towels and some underwear. Mum worried about getting it done, when she heard the doorbell and knew that lunch had arrived, her persuasive skills surfaced and the clothes were hung out without any fuss. Meals on Wheels to the rescue. Thank you.
Mum turned 100 in the middle of the COVID lockdowns so our plans for a great celebration had to be shelved. I will never forget the phone call from Kimi asking if it would be possible for the volunteers to form a drive past as a special treat in celebration. It was such a wonderful gesture for them to give up part of their Saturday and the family and I were really touched. I think at that time about 20 people were allowed to congregate outside so when the day arrived, the cars came up the street in convoy tooting their horns and stopping in front of the house. Out piled Meals on Wheels staff and volunteers with bunches of flowers and birthday greetings to be met with bubbles, balloons and birthday cake on mum’s front fence. We sat mum on the footpath to welcome them with balloons as a backdrop. It was such a happy time and such a success that it was repeated for her 101st birthday.
Last year for mum’s 102nd birthday we had about 50 people attend all out the front for bubbles, balloons and birthday cake and once again with Meals on Wheels staff and volunteers in attendance, it has become a happy tradition. What organisation would go to that length to provide an elderly person such an overwhelming amount of pleasure and joy.
Meals on Wheels, you are very, very special, thank you, we owe you a great deal of gratitude and you play a huge part in keeping mum living independently in her own home.