Click on the links below to find out more about our meals delivery and social meals services.
Background to our meals project
2004 saw the commencement of our meals project. Isolation and need for services for the elderly had been some of the issues highlighted in the meeting that was held in 1997 to identify the needs of the village. The Resource Centre Management Committee worked with the Active Age Committee to put a plan in place to start a weekly social lunch at the Resource Centre. The HSE supported the project by subsidising the meals. This subsidy meant the meals were made affordable for all.
In order to make sure the service could be accessed by anyone in the parish who wished to attend, the company bus was used to collect people at their own homes, bring them into the centre for lunch and return them home again afterwards. In 2007 the service was extended and a delivery service began, delivering meals to those in the community that wanted them but were unable to come into the Centre.
Having this service available in the community brings a number of benefits for both the service users and their families:
- It encourages those at risk in the community to eat healthily and look after themselves. This is especially important as many people living alone can be less likely to cook a nutritious meal for themselves, making do with something quick and less nutritious.
- Encouraging people to come into the Centre for lunch allows an opportunity for social interaction and can give much needed support.
- Coming into the Centre for dinner and meeting others promotes positive well being and can help combat the loneliness and isolation felt by many.
- Delivery of the meals provides an opportunity for our staff to check on the people receiving the meals and ensure they are ok.
- People receiving the meals look forward to the social interaction with our staff, and for many, our delivery people might be the only people the recipient will see for the day.
- This interaction can reassure families who might be living away that a nutritious meal is provided to their family member, and that they can have a provision for up to 6 days. It can also provide reassurance that somebody is checking in on their family member.
- In some cases, provision of the service helps foster independence and quality of life for those who need the service and might be what enables them to remain in their own home.
- Linking the weekly social dinner with the Local Link transport service means that those who do not drive, do not have access to transport or are unable to drive due to illness or recovery can attend the Centre for their dinner, with the knowledge that they will be dropped home afterwards. For some, this may be their only outing all week.
- The service can also provide some time relief to primary caregivers who can utilise the time spent preparing meals for something else, or indeed, take it for themselves.
Meals service today
Social dinners take place at the Centre every Tuesday. The dinners are cooked by staff at the Centre and use fresh vegetables from our own organic garden when available. Local Link Mayo provide bus transport to those who need it in order to attend the lunch. Today, the social dinners are still on once a week and the bus is used to transport those who need it to the Centre. The dinner is currently on every Tuesday and is as much an opportunity for people to meet up and chat, as it is to have a nourishing meal.
The meals delivery service can provide meals for up to 6 days.
To find out more about our services, please call the Centre on 094 93 65987, or alternatively use the contact form here.
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