The end of the road for meals on wheels?

It might come as a surprise that meals on wheels - the daily delivery of hot food to the nation’s pensioners - began life as an emergency wartime measure.

Launched in Welwyn Garden City in 1943, the Women’s Voluntary Service saw it as an essential way to get food to elderly people alienated by the disruption of war.

The idea obviously caught on: by 1962, four million meals were being dished out nationwide each year. Meals on wheels continues today, provided by charities, councils and local voluntary groups.

But it’s not what it was.

Numbers are down dramatically on their post-war peak. Leeds City Council, for example, says that it only serves daily meals to 500 of its 750,000 residents, less than a tenth of a percent.

The drop is partly due to supermarkets, undercutting meals on wheels by offering a bigger choice of ready meals for about half the cost of a delivered dinner. Partly, it’s the pinch on local authorities and voluntary groups alike, unable to subsidise as many services as before.

But there has also been a marked drop in meal quality. Meals on wheels were, until relatively recently, proper dinners, cooked from scratch in real kitchens. In the war, that meant British Restaurants, subsequently local authority or charity canteens - but almost always with fresh ingredients and using traditional, homely recipes.

Sadly the deep freeze and the microwave put a stop to that, and today the majority of meals are factory-produced, frozen, and reheated to the sound of a ping. And that means they tend to be very low in the nutrients so essential to older people.

So is it time to stop feeding this stuff to our pensioners?

Many say not. Meals on wheels, claim its supporters, are a sort of care visit, often the only contact that a lonely pensioner gets in a day.

But detractors point out that the quality of most meals on wheels is so low that they are at best depriving pensioners of a healthy, balanced diet and at worse, hastening their decline.

And there is another, inadvertent reason that meals on wheels might not be doing our pensioners any favours.

Most health professionals agree that older people benefit from being active for as long as possible; from getting out of the house on a regular basis; from maintaining their independence. And what better incentive to get out, to shop and to cook, than the daily need to eat?

Indeed, as the culture of social services moves away from paternal, dependent care towards empowering old people and promoting their dignity, what better way to restore a pensioner’s independence than to get them shopping and cooking for themselves once more?

Certainly if numbers continue to decline at their current rate, meals on wheels could well disappear of its own accord. But before we lament its loss - or rush to find a replacement - let us give some serious thought to how we want the future to look.

The choice is between a world where old people, isolated in their homes get one frozen meal a day; or one where pensioners get out, meet people, do some shopping and cooking, and generally look after themselves.

It’s a hard debate to have, because in criticising meals on wheels, we attack a service that is inherently kindly and charitable. But perhaps meals on wheels is a kindness too far, one that contributes, albeit inadvertently, to a culture of isolation and dependency. Perhaps this 70-year-old institution has indeed come to the end of the road.

By Daniel Ward

Image by Ambro, freedigitalphotos.net

Elderly Nutrition

A London fashion magazine recently hailed being in your 80’s to be the new 20’s!  This year, a host of octogenarians have appeared on the catwalks of New York and as stylish cover girls.  Certainly, these days, no one gives you a passport to join the blue rinse brigade when you get your pension. 

But if you’re one of the 10 million people aged over 65 in the UK – or a carer or relative of an older person - listen up.  Research has found that a staggering 97 per cent of people aged 65 and over aren’t getting their recommended vitamin intake. 

So if you want to be fending off the paparazzi next year, or simply to stay in your prime for longer, here are the Mini Cooking Club’s top foodie tips for the older generation:

           

     1. Did you know the thirst mechanism declines as you get older?

This is the ability that tells you when to drink water and if you can’t feel thirsty, you probably won’t be getting enough liquids.  Dehydration can lead to falls and other complications in older people.  Make sure you’re getting 8 glasses of liquid a day, even if it does mean more annoying trips to the loo.

2. Did you know as you notch up another candle on your birthday cake, your bone density is reducing?

Another natural part of ageing means your bones become less dense.  So when an older person falls, a simple tumble might mean a trip to the hospital.  What can be done about it?  Eat more calcium – and this doesn’t just mean milk and cheese, but greens like broccoli and spinach or even brazil nuts.  Taking care of this tricky issue will stave off fractures in the future.

3. Did you know as you age, your immune system naturally declines?

Older people are more susceptible to infection and catching a nasty flu bug in winter.  But you can fight back.  Eating your five-a-day, and a good mix of protein, carbs and greens will stand you in good stead when those coughs and colds start flying around...

4. Did you know if you’re less active, your appetite will go down?

If you’re over 65, there’s probably no way that you’re getting the same exercise you got when you were 20 – no matter how many catwalk turns you get asked to do!  And eating like a mouse won’t get the right amount of nutrients into your diet, so stay active to keep your appetite up.  This will also help to keep you ‘regular’, another thorny problem common in older people.

5. Did you know if you’re not getting out as much, you’re not getting as much sunlight and vital Vitamin  D?

Older people are more likely to spend time indoors which means few get the Vitamin D they need to maintain bone and heart health.  So try to eat more oily fish, eggs and cereals or take a supplement to boost your intake of this key vitamin.

We think you’ll look better and feel better if you follow our foodie tips, whether you’re working that ‘silver fox’ look in Paris or in your local Tescos... Happy eating!

By Paula