Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Meals on Wheels cuts may endanger elderly

Meals on Wheels cuts may endanger elderly
The woman’s son was pacing back and forth, looking at Lisa Roosien with helpless frustration.

His mother weighed just 87 pounds after dementia and a lack of nutritional resources had driven her into a dangerous spiral of weight loss in recent months.

He looked to Roosien, a registered dietitian at AgeWell Services, as a lifeline.
Times were tough and money was tight — his mother needed assistance.

“What do I do?” he asked.

At any other time, Roosien could have set the woman up with a Meals on Wheels plan where volunteers would check on her daily and bring warm food right to her home.

But recent state funding cuts have AgeWell Services in a tough place, she said.

Her hands were tied"

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