TY - GEN
T1 - Meals on Wheels should be supported by the Government to ensure the wellbeing of older, vulnerable, and self-isolating adults during lockdown
AU - Papadaki, Angeliki
AU - Cameron, Ailsa M
AU - Armstrong, Miranda E G
AU - Willis, Paul B
PY - 2021/2
Y1 - 2021/2
N2 - Executive summary: Meals on Wheels, a service offered by different local authorities, deliver meals to older, vulnerable, and housebound adults, who might otherwise not be able toacquire and prepare their own meals, particularly during lockdown The benefits to service users go beyond nutrition, and include welfare checks,promoting independence and identifying and addressing isolation and loneliness The service benefits the wider community by reducing pressure on carers andpotentially decreasing healthcare expenditures and the need for residential care Service providers are often the first responders to an emergency and work jointly with other emergency agencies to ensure service users’ wellbeing Meals on Wheels are facing several challenges, including outsourcing administration, funding cuts and closures, and lack of publicity to people who might need the service The COVID-19 pandemic brought an increase in service users, concerns withsourcing food, increased demand on human resources, and uncertainty about how the service will cope in continuous lockdowns During the lockdown, doorstep meal deliveries and drivers’ worries around protective equipment and their own health meant less time to interact with service users and less thorough welfare checks It is crucial for Meals on Wheels to receive enhanced and ongoing support from local and national Governments to ensure increased demands during lockdown are met Public policies need to prioritise Meals on Wheels as a central emergency service to protect vulnerable adults during lockdown
AB - Executive summary: Meals on Wheels, a service offered by different local authorities, deliver meals to older, vulnerable, and housebound adults, who might otherwise not be able toacquire and prepare their own meals, particularly during lockdown The benefits to service users go beyond nutrition, and include welfare checks,promoting independence and identifying and addressing isolation and loneliness The service benefits the wider community by reducing pressure on carers andpotentially decreasing healthcare expenditures and the need for residential care Service providers are often the first responders to an emergency and work jointly with other emergency agencies to ensure service users’ wellbeing Meals on Wheels are facing several challenges, including outsourcing administration, funding cuts and closures, and lack of publicity to people who might need the service The COVID-19 pandemic brought an increase in service users, concerns withsourcing food, increased demand on human resources, and uncertainty about how the service will cope in continuous lockdowns During the lockdown, doorstep meal deliveries and drivers’ worries around protective equipment and their own health meant less time to interact with service users and less thorough welfare checks It is crucial for Meals on Wheels to receive enhanced and ongoing support from local and national Governments to ensure increased demands during lockdown are met Public policies need to prioritise Meals on Wheels as a central emergency service to protect vulnerable adults during lockdown
M3 - Other contribution
ER -