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YMOW gives volunteer of the quarter purpose in retirement:
Having retired from his career in IT, John Isakson needed a new reason to get up and dressed every day.
“You have to have a reason to get up every morning,” said John, our final Volunteer of the Quarter for 2019.
For nearly six years, that reason has been the people served by Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels. At least three times a week, John accompanies a YMOW Client Care Associate on a delivery route.
John knew of Meals on Wheels and the role it plays in the lives of seniors even before he first walked through YMOW’s doors. His own mother was a meal recipient. It’s people like his mom – local seniors in need of food and a friendly visit – that keep John reporting to YMOW.
“Some of these people I’ve been visiting for years,” he said. Food is the primary purpose of every YMOW visit, but John said he tries to take a few minutes to chat or to perform a small favor.
“They don’t ask a whole lot of you,” he said. Just a kind word and a smile are often all it takes to make a real difference in someone’s day.
2019 was a year of growth for YMOW:
2019 was a busy and exciting year for Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels. Through support of our dedicated staff and more than 2,500 hours worked by our generous volunteers, we delivered 106,206 meals to 335 homebound neighbors in 2019.
March brought our long-awaited move to Michigan Medicine as our food provider. Clients now receive hotter, fresher and more delicious food, including a weekly vegetarian option. Clients give the meals rave reviews.
Our total meal count for the year includes 5,418 weekend meals served to 86 YMOW clients. Weekend meal delivery resumed in June after a multi-year hiatus, allowing YMOW clients over 60 to opt for delivery of up to three meals each Saturday. That includes a hot meal for Saturday lunch, a chilled meal for Saturday night and an additional chilled meal for Sunday.
YMOW’s New Home
In October, YMOW moved into its new offices on the first floor of the First Baptist Church of Ypsilanti. The new space allows staff to work more easily as a team and those who once worked in the basement are happy to see the sun! We celebrated the move with an open house in early November.
Welcome to YMOW
New members of the YMOW team were added in 2019, as well.
Sally Ruterbusch joined the team in February as YMOW’s first Development Manager. Her efforts focus on developing fundraising opportunities to further the work of the organization.
Bethany Burge was hired in May as director of Occupational Therapy Clinical & Community Services. She oversees the launch and expansion of CAPABLE – a program that will help local seniors live more safely and comfortably in their own homes.
Our Client Care Associates are on the front lines of everything we do. Joining the team in 2019 were Traci Bibins, Bern Debacker, Roy Hunt, Nancy Mokszycki, Rita Taylor and Joe Waldrop.
Lisa Maskill, attorney with the Michigan Advocacy Program, joined the YMOW Board of Directors in February.
Challenges and the year ahead
There was much to celebrate in 2019, but the year wasn’t without its challenges. For the first time in more than five years, increased demand for meals resulted in a wait list late last year. We’re working to get people off that list as quickly as possible. With the continued support of our donors and volunteers, we hope to serve even more of our homebound neighbors in 2020.
Arbor Brewing Co. fills holiday tables with food and family:
When a fall last month left Joyce with a broken femur, she was left wondering about a lot of things, not the least of which was how she would host her family this Thanksgiving.
“I always have it here. I didn’t know what I was going to do,” the 72-year-old said. So when she learned of Arbor Brewing Company’s offer to provide 15 Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels clients with a full Thanksgiving feast for themselves and their families, she couldn’t have been happier.
Thanks to Arbor Brewing Company, Joyce and her family will enjoy a turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and green beans.
“I love to cook,” said Joyce. And while she will miss preparing the holiday meal for her family this year, she’s grateful to have them gathered around her table, no matter who did the cooking.
“It’s the point of having dinner together. That’s the important part,” said Joyce. She will welcome her son, stepsons, granddaughters and her brand new great grandson to her table.
Fourteen other YMOW clients also will gather with their families to enjoy a feast provided by Arbor Brewing Company.
“As we stop to count our blessings this Thanksgiving, we’re grateful for community partners like Arbor Brewing Company,” said Alison Foreman, Executive Director at YMOW. “Their gift not only allows our homebound seniors to enjoy dinner with their family, it allows them to revisit a time when cooking and a houseful of people were normal parts of the holiday. Food is so empowering.”
As she continues to recover from her fall, Joyce can count on YMOW to provide the nutrition she needs to heal. And thanks to the generosity of donors and the community, hundreds of others can rely on YMOW for meals, a friendly visit, and the knowledge that we’re always here to help.
Caregivers need care too:
First Lady Rosalynn Carter once said there are only four kinds of people in the world – those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.
In May 2019, 90-year-old Harley became the latter, turning his 89-year-old housemate, Alice, into a member of the second group on Carter’s list.
“I became a nurse overnight,” said Alice, who now cares for Harley around the clock.
Except for some arthritis pain, Alice is in remarkably good health. Before Harley’s stroke, she enjoyed getting out, shopping, and occasionally visiting the casino. But since May, Harley’s challenges have limited Alice’s own mobility. Now, despite the fact that she has a vehicle and is able to drive, even a simple trip to the grocery store is difficult.
Alice is committed to Harley’s care. And she knows that to care for him, she must care for herself. She makes regular trips to her chiropractor to care for her back pain, and while keeping Harley company, she pedals on a portable exercise device to keep her muscles working. And she accepts help where available.
She has help getting Harley in and out of bed several times a week and also with bathing. The former couple’s children and even their children’s friends also come by to help.
And every day around lunchtime, Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels arrives with Harley’s food for the day. Alice said the meals mean she doesn’t have to worry about what she will prepare for Harley. And she can rest easy knowing that he has the nutrition he needs.
“They help me a lot, because I can’t go grocery shopping,” Alice said. As for her own meals, she relies on the occasional shopping trip to stock up on frozen dinners.
She also appreciates the company that her Meals on Wheels delivery provides. Caregiving, Alice said, can be a lonely job.
Alice said she is happy to see Harley growing stronger, thanks to her care and the corps of support she has assembled for him, including the daily deliveries from Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels.
Filed Under: Blog
We’re trained to spot early signs of depression:
October 10 is National Depression Screening Day. At Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels, we’re looking for the signs of depression in our clients every day.
The PHQ 9 Patient Health Questionnaire is used in medical offices and other facilities across the country to identify signs of depression. YMOW uses that same questionnaire as part of our clients’ regular six-month assessments.
“This screening has proven to be an effective tool in identifying symptoms of depression, which can easily be misidentified in older adults,” said Bethany Burge, YMOW Director of Clinical Services. Bethany said older adults who are depressed often appear irritable or anxious rather than sad. In addition to feelings of loss or sadness, the PHQ 9 screening looks for symptoms such as change in appetite or sleep patterns, which could be signs of depression.
In addition to regular screening, YMOW helps clients who are depressed get the help they need by partnering with Happy@Home, a pilot program through the University of Michigan School of Social Work. Part 1 of Happy@Home trains caregivers to spot the signs of depression in older adults. Part 2 enlists an online program to help them feel better.
Part 2 has yet to begin, but by completing Part 1 of the program training, YMOW’s Client Care Associates and staff members are better equipped to identify clients who might be in need of help. If a client shows signs of depression, YMOW’s social worker follows up with a wellness call. That visit may lead to further referrals for care.
“Depression screening is another tool in our ongoing effort to help our clients live healthier, happier lives in the comfort of their own home,” said Alison Foreman, YMOW executive director.
YMOW provides up to two meals a day for homebound residents of the Ypsilanti area. Every meal delivery doubles as a friendly visit. Sometimes that’s all someone needs to be reminded they are not alone. But when that’s not enough, YMOW is there to help.
Do you or someone you know have signs of depression? Find out here.
Take simple steps to keep food safe:
September is Food Safety Education Month – a good time to review the simple but important steps we can take to prevent foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning.
Each year, 1 in 6 Americans gets sick from eating contaminated food. Many of those who become ill are older adults, who are at a greater risk for illnesses such as salmonella, listeria and infection from E. coli.
Older Adults are at Higher Risk
The immune systems of older adults don’t recognize harmful bacteria as quickly as they did when they were younger, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That gives the bacteria more time to grow and multiply, resulting in illness. Aging organs also don’t rid the body of harmful bacteria as quickly as they once did. Underlying chronic conditions, such as diabetes and cancer, may also increase a person’s risk of foodborne illness.
Food poisoning in older adults often isn’t just a matter of an upset stomach. According to the CDC, nearly half of people age 65 and older who have a lab-confirmed foodborne illness from salmonella, campylobacter, listeria or E. coli require hospitalization.
It’s not hard to see why proper, safe food handling is so important, and why the staff at YMOW is trained in food safety. We do everything we can to ensure that we always deliver safe, healthy and delicious food to our clients.
4 Simple Steps
You can help prevent food illness in your home by following these 4 simple but important steps:
Clean: Wash hands, utensils and surfaces often using warm, soapy water. Germs can spread and survive in many places. Be sure to rinse all produce, as well.
Separate: Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread illness-causing bacteria to ready-to-eat foods such as fruits, vegetables and bread, so keep them separate.
Cook: Food is safely cooked only when the internal temperature is high enough to kill germs that can make you sick.
Chill: Refrigerate food promptly. Bacteria that cause food poisoning multiply quickest between 40°F and 140°F.
Cdc.gov
Emergency meals keep clients prepared:
September is National Preparedness Month. Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels is doing its part to be sure our homebound neighbors have access to nutritious food, no matter what Old Man Winter and Mother Nature might have in store.
Along with regular meals, YMOW client care associates and volunteers deliver shelf-stable food to clients at least twice a year. Inside these boxes are hearty staples like beef stew and chicken, as well as beverages, fruit and condiments.
Each box is stuffed with enough shelf-stable products to assemble six full meals. It even includes suggested ways to combine the foods to create breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks.
YMOW does its best to ensure that every client has at least three meals on hand at all times – enough to get them through an entire day without delivery.
“We can rest assured that our clients will not go hungry when weather or another emergency prevents us from delivering meals,” YMOW Executive Director Alison Foreman said.
YMOW leaves caregiver more time to be a grandma:
There’s never a lack of activity around the home that Diane shares with her 92-year-old mother, Margarine. That’s because while Diane is a daughter and full-time caregiver for her mom, she’s also a grandma and part-time caregiver for her two young grandchildren.
“The kids keep her stimulated,” Diane said of her mom, who keeps a constant eye on the antics of the two preschoolers.
Margarine has Alzheimer’s, but Diane said it’s not her mom who suffers most from the disease.
“Her Alzheimer’s hurts me more than it hurts her,” Diane said.
It’s hard to see her mom unable to perform simple tasks or enjoy a conversation. Sometimes, it’s even difficult for her to recognize her own daughter. But Margarine’s great grandchildren keep things lively, Diane said, and offer her mom something to do other than watch television or play with her fidget blanket.
Margarine receives a hot meal from Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels every weekday. Diane said the service leaves her with a little more time each day to enjoy both her mom and her grandchildren.
“The food arrives warm and fresh. It’s one thing I don’t have to worry about,” she said.
By letting Meals on Wheels do the cooking for her mom, Diane has a little more time to be a daughter and a grandma.
Volunteer of the Quarter:
Extra batteries are just one way honored volunteer serves more than a meal:
She’s been called Ash, Ashercat and Ashleigh O. But it wasn’t until she became a YMOW volunteer that Ashleigh Oliveira started answering to the nickname “My Little Chocolate Chip.”
“I have no idea where that came from,” Ashleigh said, but each Wednesday and Thursday when she approaches Paul’s home with his meals for the day, she can look forward to his affectionate greeting.
Ashleigh began volunteering with Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels in early summer 2018. In the year since delivering that first meal, she’s developed relationships and a deep understanding of those she serves.
As she works toward her master’s degree in dietetics, she’s thinking of focusing her career on meeting the nutritional needs of older adults.
“I had never really spent time with older adults before,” said Ashleigh, who has quickly come to understand the needs of an aging population.
Of course, every need can’t be met with a meal. Ashleigh takes time with each person on her route to find out what she can do to help that day. Sometimes, it’s putting something in a cabinet for Hazel or reaching something from a shelf for Gladys. Not infrequently, she’s called upon to stop a chirping smoke alarm.
“I carry extra batteries in my car,” she said.
Most of the time, all someone needs is a bit of friendly conversation.
“Besides the food that they, of course, need, a friendly face makes a big difference in their day,” Ashleigh said.
Ashleigh said she’s tried volunteering before, but this time, it’s turned into a passion.
“I look forward to it every week. My time at YMOW has helped me just as much as it’s helped them,” she said.
YMOW and the people we serve could use more people like Ashleigh – people who have a couple of hours a week to spend delivering a meal and smile.
For more information about volunteering with YMOW, contact Rolanda@ymow.org.
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