Rutherglen Meals on Wheels is being replaced by Lite n Easy in a major upheaval for the elderly, some of whom rely on the service as their only form of human contact.

Meals on Wheels is a national service that supports older adults to live independently by delivering nutritious meals through a network of volunteers.

It was introduced to Australia in 1953 when Mrs. E. Watts delivered meals using a tricycle.

It started the service dedicated to supporting older Australians and people with disabilities through nutritious meals and social connection and helps them to remain independent and healthy at home.

Today Meals on Wheels is supported by a network of more than 35,000 volunteers across Australia.

Previously, Rutherglen residents were able to access the service through Indigo Shire via the Meals on Wheels Victoria website.

Indigo Shire councillor Scott Landells has spent time coordinating the shire’s Meals on Wheels volunteer roster and a volunteer community visiting program throughout the Hume region.

He said volunteers don’t just deliver meals, but also provide friendly social contact and wellbeing checks, which can be especially valuable for isolated seniors.

“(Meals on Wheels) has two key elements,” Mr Landells said.

“It's about a nutritious meal that's been prepared, delivered, and still warm, but it's also about the social connection and vulnerable older people who look forward to the service.

“They'll be ready for an hour before it comes; they'll have a knife and fork set up and everything laid out, they look forward to it so much.

“The volunteers love it; they love being able to put that care into their community, particularly for the most vulnerable members.

“We're very concerned about how it's going to play out, and we're questioning why a change of this nature needs to occur.”

Starting this week, Meals on Wheels will transition to a new home-delivered meal model, with Lite n' Easy appointed as the meal supplier.

Lite n' Easy offers a wide range of dietitian-designed meals, including options for diabetics, low-salt, and vegetarian diets, ensuring a variety of choices.

They will deliver meals to older Australians, including those who may be transitioning from traditional Meals on Wheels services, and eligible NDIS participants.

As a registered NDIS provider, Lite n’ Easy allows eligible participants to receive meals with support from NDIS funding, covering meal preparation and delivery costs.

Clients order meals on a fortnightly basis, with no contracts or subscriptions required.

Mr Landells said Lite n’ Easy has a very good reputation, but delivering 14 days’ worth of meals at a time was overkill and removed the social element from the service.

“What I'm hearing back from volunteers who’ve seen the meal choice brochures is that it's overwhelming,” he said.

“It might seem fine on paper, saying they've got choices, but anyone who has spent time with older people understands many of them have a limited capacity to process complex information.

“They need a lot of assistance with that, and there’s a big concern about how that is going to occur on an ongoing basis.”

For more information, you can visit the Lite n' Easy website or contact them directly.

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Saturday, 8th September 2029

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