Council on Aging - Services for Seniors

Meals on Wheels Program for Seniors

A nutritious diet is the cornerstone to maintaining health and quality of life. Beginning in October, we will be providing a heart-healthy, no added salt, low-fat meal to ALL of our receipients.

To see what is being served, just click below...

February Menu

February Vegetarian Menu

About our program...

Since 1976, Council on Aging has operated the largest meal program for seniors in Sonoma County.

• From July 2007 through June 2008, Council on Aging served over 282,262 meals to approximately 3,000 seniors.
• The meals provide one third of the recommended dietary requirements for seniors.
• For many clients, it is their only meal of the day.

Council on Aging is committed to reducing food insecurity in the elderly. The commitment costs over a million dollars a year, with only 45% of the program being funded from government funding. We must rely on the support and generosity of the community to cover the remaining costs of the program.

The Meals on Wheels program is so much more than just a hot meal. The other benefits include:

• Helping seniors remain in their homes and out of institutionalized living, so that they can maintain their independence and happiness;
• A daily check-up by a caring driver that can alert loved ones to potential problems, falls, accidents, etc.;
• Special meals for those participants who require modification of their diets, such as frozen renal meals, vegetarian and no concentrated sweets;
• Availability of Nutritional Counseling by a registered dietitian (CLICK HERE TO READ HER SPECIAL MONTHLY INFORMATIONAL COLUMN);
• Access to referrals to the other programs operated by the Council on Aging, including Social and Financial Services, Legal Services, Case Management, Friendly Visitors, Senior Peer Supporters, Adult Day Social Programs, and others; and,
• Helping seniors stay healthy, reducing costly acute hospital stays.

Meals on Wheels FAQS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Am I eligible to get Meals on Wheels?
Seniors 60 years of age and older who are homebound and/or unable to shop and cook are eligible to receive Meals on Wheels. You may also receive Meals on Wheels, regardless of your age, if you live in designated senior housing or are the caregiver spouse/companion of a 60+ senior who is receiving meals.

Where do I get an application?
You don’t need to fill out an application. We start our intake process over the phone in a very simple format. Just call 525-0143 ext. 135.

How much does it cost?
We ask for a donation of $4.00 per meal, but recognize that some clients will not be able to afford the donation.

Do I pay the driver every day?
No. Each month we will send you a statement of the number of meals we delivered to you the previous month. There will be a return envelope with that statement. Just put whatever donation you can afford in the envelope, and either give the envelope to your delivery driver or mail it back to us.

What if I can’t afford to send you any donation for my meal?
We will continue to deliver meals to you. Our program is not based on ability to donate for the meals; it is based on our clients’ need for balanced, hot meals that help to keep them independent and healthy.

How many days a week can I get meals?
We can deliver one hot meal per day per person Monday through Friday. Some of our clients receive meals all five days; some need meals only two or three days a week. The meals are delivered in the middle of the day. With our Friday hot meal delivery, we can also deliver frozen meals for the weekend. These can be reheated in a microwave or conventional oven.

What kind of food do you serve?
Because we prepare and deliver almost 1,000 meals per day, our program is based on a single menu per day. Over the course of a month, the meals will range from casseroles to sandwiches and soup, from fish to turkey and gravy. We serve special meals for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and St. Patrick’s Day. Each meal includes a protein, a vegetable, a starch, milk, juice and fruit or dessert.

I’m diabetic; will I be able to get a diabetic diet?
Our meals are very well balanced, but on those occasions when we serve an item higher in sugar content, like cookies, we will provide a low sugar substitute for those who require a diabetic diet. We make comparable substitutions for clients who require either low salt or low fat diets.

I'm a vegetarian; do you have meals to accommodate my diet?
Since October 1, 2007 we are able to provide "Amy's Kitchen" frozen vegetarian meals for our vegetarian clients.

Can I order what I like, or substitute for meals I don’t like?
We prepare close to 1,000 meals per day, so we have a fixed menu each day. Aside from the diabetic,vegetarian, low salt and low fat diets already mentioned, we are unable to accommodate other dietary preferences or restrictions. However, we do prepare our menus a month ahead and each client gets a new menu at the beginning of every month. If you have an allergy or aversion to an item we have on the menu, you will have time to make other arrangements for that meal and to cancel delivery on that day.

Can I call you every day to order for the next day?
No. Because we prepare so many meals each day and need to be careful of our food costs, we require that we have an established delivery pattern for each client. Of course, that pattern can be changed when necessary, with a minimum of 24 hours notice.

Can I just get the juice?
We are not a shopping service. Our program is designed to deliver hot meals daily to people who need them. If you just need a single item, there are stores that will deliver, or friends or relatives who might be able to get that item for you.

Can you deliver my meal for dinner?
Our meals are cooked in the morning and our delivery routes are designed to enable us to get the maximum number of hot meals to the maximum number of clients during a working day. Based on our current capacity, that means that meals are delivered in the middle of the day.

What time of day will it be delivered?
It depends on where you live. In Santa Rosa, your route may get meals as early as 11:30 am or as late as 3:00 pm. The meals will be delivered at about the same time every day. In surrounding communities, meals generally arrive around lunch time.

Can you leave the meal at my doorstep or in a cooler if I am not home?
No. We deliver hot food and we cannot risk our clients’ health by leaving uneaten food un-refrigerated for an unknown period of time. We can leave the meal in your refrigerator if you are willing to leave your door unlocked, or we can leave it with a neighbor if you let us know in advance. We will work with you on the best plan for handling these occasions.

I am disabled; can I get Meals on Wheels?
You are eligible to receive Meals on Wheels if you are 60 years of age or older, live in senior housing or are the spouse/companion of a 60+ senior who is receiving meals. Unfortunately, disability alone does not qualify you for this senior program.

How is the program funded? Isn’t Meals on Wheels a government program?
Meals on Wheels of Sonoma County is a program of the Council on Aging Services for Seniors, which is a private non-profit established 40 years ago to serve local seniors. Only 45% of our annual budget is provided by State and Federal funding under the Older Americans Act. The rest of the money we need each year is generated through donations, fundraising events, and grants.

I used to get Meals on Wheels in Michigan. Their program provides lunch and dinner, and I’d like to get the same meals here. Can I?
Meals on Wheels programs are a product of local county and non-profit agencies, and are designed to serve the needs of their own seniors. So each program will offer different services.

For additional information please call 707-525-0143 ext. 135 or email sboyce@councilonaging.com.

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