Icy conditions challenge Meals on Wheels volunteers in Metro Vancouver
Many volunteers who deliver meals to seniors are seniors themselves
Icy conditions are making it difficult for Meals on Wheels programs to deliver food to seniors in the Lower Mainland.
Part of the reason for that, Health and Home Care Society of B.C. executive director Inge Schamborzki says, is that many of the drivers in these programs are seniors themselves.
"It's very challenging.… Certainly it can be quite treacherous," she told On The Coast host Stephen Quinn. "The main roads are usually cleared well enough for our volunteers not to be too concerned, but the side roads, sometimes, are not as clear."
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Schamborzki says Meals on Wheels has about 350 volunteers delivering meals every week, mostly to homebound seniors.
Most of the deliveries are done Monday to Friday around lunch time, and since many younger people have to work, seniors do a large proportion of the driving.
She says no volunteers should feel obligated to drive in unsafe conditions, and the organization tries its best to prepare meal recipients for days when they may not get food delivered by telling them to order extra meals and keep frozen food on hand if they can.
She says in some cases, neighbours, family members and staff will be called on to go out and deliver food and perform wellness checks on the recipients.
With files from CBC Radio One's On The Coast
To hear the full interview, click the audio labelled: Icy conditions challenge Meals on Wheels programs