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For hundreds of people in Sarasota, Meals On Wheels is literally the difference between remaining in their own homes and needing to relocate to a nursing facility. The nutritious meal, friendly visit and safety check help them cope with three of the biggest threats of aging: hunger, isolation
and loss of independence. Research proves that when seniors have the right support, they gain greater quality of life, need fewer hospital stays and live longer.
Since 1971, our services have effectively improved health outcomes and quality of life for hundreds of clients each year, while reducing risks, hospital readmissions and overall health costs. This is all thanks to our very special programs that save lives and provide peace of mind.
say Our meals help Improve Their Health
say Our services help them Feel More Secure
say Our meals help them Live Independently
Eight hundred times a day, Meals on Wheels of Sarasota delivers nutritious meals that are cooked, prepared, packaged and hand-delivered to members. Our menu is focused on preparing a heart-healthy, nutritional meal – one that tastes great and meets the recommended daily intake. We provide low-sodium, lower fat, lower sugar fare, which satisfies the many age groups and different cultural palates of our clients. Our meal program helps clients maintain a healthy lifestyle and remain living independently by providing nutritious meals, a daily safety check and friendly interaction.
Far too many times, homebound residents spend days and even weeks without seeing a single person. For many in ill health or nearing starvation, their life is put at risk.
That’s why Meals on Wheels delivery drivers make it a point to check in on our members.
If something is not right, the volunteer can raise a red flag so we can alert the proper people to act. Through the service with the volunteer they see every day, members and volunteers get to know each other and develop bonds and relationships. Much more than the delivery of a hot meal, the volunteer visit is a personal check-in that many Meals On Wheels recipients look forward to.
Unfortunately, many of our pet owners sacrifice their nutrition by sharing portions of their meal with their hungry pets. To help, we created the Pet Love Program to provide clients’ pets with a healthy diet.
When it comes to unused prescription drugs or medicines, homebound residents don’t have the mobility to take them to county “take back” programs. Flushing them could contaminate the water, and throwing them away can get them into the hands of someone addicted to that drug.
To curb all these issues, Meals On Wheels offers members a free Drug Deactivation System. Members simply put their medications in a bag containing a carbon that bonds to pharmaceutical compounds when water is added. The person adds water and shakes it up to neutralize the active ingredient in the drug.
The system neutralizes 98 percent of the medication. The bag can then safely be disposed in the trash without the risk of the drugs being used by another person or entering the water supply or landfill.
Well known as one of the top retirement places in America, seniors flock to our area. At the same time, the hundreds of families they left behind worry about their well-being so far away. Thanks to Meals On Wheels and the lifesaving services we provide, families sleep better at night and can continue their daily routines and responsibilities knowing we are keeping a watchful eye over their aging loved ones.
