GREENFIELD — LifePath has received emergency funding that will allow it to secure additional food and supplies for the Meals on Wheels program and to adapt to new procedures and delivery methods, all while experiencing an increased demand for services.
The Meals on Wheels America COVID-19 Response Fund provided $25,000 to LifePath, which serves Franklin County and the North Quabbin region.
“Meals on Wheels America put forward an uncomplicated opportunity for LifePath and other organizations like ours to access funding during this critical time of need,” said Carol Foote, LifePath’s development director. “We understand the review committee prioritized applications that demonstrated the greatest need, and we are grateful LifePath’s case was compelling.”
In the award letter to LifePath, Meals on Wheels America’s Chief Strategy and Impact Officer Lucy Theilheimer wrote, “The work you are doing in your community is more vital now than ever, and we hope this emergency funding will help support your program and the seniors you serve during this unprecedented time. We are truly appreciative of how you adapt and overcome to deliver on our collective mission.”
LifePath continues to deliver Meals on Wheels and provide a critical wellness check during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a LifePath press release, it has experienced a surge in new Meals on Wheels recipients.
To keep recipients and volunteers safe, LifePath has implemented the “Smile and Wave” method — drivers arrive at a recipient’s house, use hand sanitizer or put on a new pair of gloves, place the meal on an outside table or pack the meal in a plastic bag and hang it on the doorknob, knock or ring the doorbell and immediately step 10 to 15 feet away.
When the Meals on Wheels recipient answers the door, the drivers say “hello” and indicate where the meal is, making sure the recipient can retrieve the meal, before continuing on with other deliveries.
If no one answers, a critical wellness check begins. Drivers call the recipient to make sure he or she is home. If no one answers the call, the driver reports the missing recipient to LifePath staff, who call the recipient’s emergency contacts, their doctor’s office and then emergency services.
“We are taking every precaution to keep staff, volunteers and meal recipients safe,” said Lynne Feldman, director of community services. “We are providing personal protective equipment like hand sanitizer, gloves and masks; changing packing and dispatch procedures to increase physical distance between people; and changing delivery schedules to minimize contact. Safety is our top priority while still meeting the nutritional needs of all eligible people in the community.”
While LifePath’s office on Munson Street in Greenfield is closed to the public, staff members continue to communicate with consumers using phone calls and video conferencing, the release states.
Home health aides and personal care attendants are visiting homes and offering care to those who need it, and LifePath can also help people who want to avoid short-term rehab stays and those who live in nursing homes but want to move home.
For more information, call 413-773-5555, ext. 1230 or 978-544-2259, ext. 1230, or email info@lifepathma.org.