Home Delivered Meals

TARCOG looks at the needs of homebound elderly as a top priority. Home-delivered meals, or Meals-On-Wheels as they are commonly called, are an important part of the community-based delivery system. Homebound older people have special needs. In many cases, the home-delivered meal program allows the older person to remain in their own homes and not be placed in an institution. Some persons have infrequent or no social interaction, so the program helps provide needed nutrition as well as social contact. The visit of a person delivering a meal and expressing concern becomes an incentive for the isolated older person to interact with others and hopefully eat.

If frail, homebound older persons are to remain in their homes for as long as possible, it is essential that their eligibility and needs be adequately determined, appropriate services be made available, and services be coordinated for the shared purpose of enabling these persons to function at their highest level of independence at home. Limited funding for home-delivered meals and long waiting lists require the program to prioritize to serve those with the greatest economic and social need.

To be eligible for home-delivered meals, the older person must be:
    · Age 60 or over;
    · Homebound because of illness or incapacitating disability;
    · Unable to prepare meals; and
    · Have no other persons able to assist them in meal preparation.
    · For frozen meals, the client would also need a freezer, refrigerator, and stove/microwave in their     home; the client would also need the capacity, or have someone in the home, to physically and mentally move the meals from freezer, refrigerator and stove in order to heat meals.

Being homebound indicates that the person does not leave his or her home under normal circumstances. A family member may also receive meals if the are available, regardless of age, if receipt of the meal is determined to be in the best interest of the homebound older adult.

Most congregate centers provide a small number of home-delivered meals around the service area of the location of the center. See Congregate linkage for location of congregate centers.

Due to the growing demand for home-delivered meals and limitations on funding, most counties maintain a waiting list for home-delivered meals. TARCOG contracts for the provision of home-delivered meals with the DeKalb County Commission, Jackson County Commission, Limestone County Commission, Huntsville-Madison County Senior Center, and Marshall County Commission for each respective county. For specific county information about the home-delivered meal program, please contact the following:

DeKalb County - Brenda Pettry (brendap@dekalbcountyal.us)
Dekalb County Council on Aging (256) 845-8590
Jackson County - Theresa Dulaney (dulaney@hotmail.com)
Jackson County Council on Aging (256) 574-5974
Limestone County - Helen Carter (hscartercoa@pclnet.net)
Limestone County Council on Aging (256) 23-6412
Madison County - Kathryn Bellmon (kbellmon@seniorview.com)
Huntsville- Madison County Senior Center (256) 880-7080
Marshall County - Karen Roncker (kr@bellsouth.net)
Marshall County Council on Aging (256) 571-7805

An Aging Program staff member will come to the homebound person's house to assess needs and discuss services. Re-evaluations are done quarterly to insure the client is still eligible for meal services.

· The typical TARCOG home-delivered meals are "hot" meals delivered Monday through Friday to the homebound by volunteers and/or staff.
· All meals meet 1/3 of the minimum daily requirements for older adults.
· Portions are controlled.
· Fruits are in light syrup.
· Juices are 100 percent juice.
· 2% or 1% milk is provided.
· Limited breakfast and liquid meals are available.
· Currently, there are no special diet meals provided, due to budget constraints.
· For homebound seniors living in rural areas, not near a congregate nutrition center, frozen meals (5 or 7 pack meals) are available on a limited basis. Frozen meals are delivered weekly by volunteers, staff, or specified family members/friends.
· Currently, Valley Management Services is the meal contractor, through a statewide contract with the Alabama Department of Senior Services.

Home-delivered meal contributions are encouraged and expected, although no one is denied meals due to failure or inability to pay. The minimum suggested contribution is $1.00 per meal, and suggestions are based on the following sliding scale and clients' income:

Monthly Income	Suggested Contribution
$575 or Less	$1.00
$576-$700	$1.50
$701-$800	$2.00
$801-$900	$2.50
$901-$1000	$3.00
Over $1000	$4.00

TARCOG asks that clients and their family members donate what they can afford to help with the cost of providing the home-delivered meals. Contributions are an essential part of the overall program.

How To Donate

We need YOUR help to fulfill our mission of providing home-delivered meals service to all TARCOG elderly homebound persons, who need us. Our aim is to stop hunger among the elderly population.

NOTE: These figures are raw food cost only; it does not include center operation or administration or cost of meal delivery.

To make a donation for the Home-Delivered Meal or Meals-On-Wheels Program, send your check to:

Or contact any Senior Center in the TARCOG region.
Be sure to earmark your contribution "Home-Delivered Meals"

Volunteers are a vital part of the Home-Delivered Meal Program.
Meals-On-Wheels utilize volunteers, not only because of the cost
savings, but because their personal commitment means a great deal to
the program. Volunteers find a meaningful activity providing
companionship as well as nutrition to the frail elderly. Routes are
established for volunteers to follow when delivering meals.

Our volunteers make the difference !!!

If you are interested in volunteering to deliver meals, please contact the following:
Brenda Pettry (brendap@dekalbcountyal.us)
Dekalb County Council on Aging (256) 845-8590
Theresa Dulaney (dulaney@hotmail.com)
Jackson County Council on Aging (256) 574-6733
Helen Carter (hscartercoa@pclnet.net)
Limestone County Council on Aging (256) 233-6412
Kathryn Bellmon (kbellmon@seniorview.com)
Huntsville-Madison County Senior Center (256) 880-7080
Karen Roncker (kr@bellsouth.net)
Marshall County Council on Aging (256) 571-7805