Meals on wheels ‘in need of reform’

AT a time when the Government wants older people to continue to live in their own homes, the country’s meals on wheels service is deficient and in need of reform, a report has revealed.

The service delivers hot, nutritious meals to up to 12,000 older people but the service is patchy and unregulated, it found.

The study, commissioned by the National Council on Ageing and Older People, also found there was a heavy reliance on volunteers — almost nine out of 10 staff work in a voluntary role.

Meals on wheels was first introduced in the 1960s and has developed on an ad-hoc basis. The report says the absence of an overall framework and greater support from both the Government and the HSE has led to gaps in service provision.

The report says the service should be available to all those in need seven days a week, including public and other holidays.

Meals on wheels is often the first service offered to older people as they become more dependant but are still capable of continuing to live in their own home.

The report points out that many shortcomings have resulted from insufficient funding and support.

Age Action Ireland spokesperson Eamon Timmins said services like meals on wheels had been run on a shoe-string by charities for years. “If we want to keep older people in the community and keep them healthy and well we need to properly fund and support these kind of services.”