SWAMPSCOTT – The Senior Center had outside help to address their shortness of staff problem. Heart to Home Meals was at the center Thursday, giving a presentation of their services.
There is never a full-time employee cooking at the center in Swampscott, according to Deb Newman, board member of the Senior Center.
“The food is awful,” said Newman, “I sometimes work three days a week in the kitchen to help, because I am considered the young one here.”
Seniors who can come to the Senior Center are still mobile, meaning that they can walk and drive. If they don’t like the food in the center, they can always choose substitution. However, there are some who cannot come to the center due to their disability. Some wheelchaired seniors are fed through Meals on Wheels, which is considered malnutrition and not balanced by Newman.
“If we have a fully operating kitchen, we can bring better food to disabled seniors.” Said Newman, “we have a van in our facility.”
Newman said the board of the Senior Center had several conversations on this issue. The reason behind the shortage of staff is their budget. It is not because of the difficulty to hire post-pandemic, the senior kitchen never had a full-time employee before or after COVID. The membership of the Senior Center is free, operating based on donations.
“The town should advocate on this issue and provide more support.” Said Newman.
Other than needing the town’s awareness, the outside organization Heart to Home Meals came to the rescue. Their meals are designed for seniors, and they provide delivery with local drivers. Each meal is frozen, and seniors can heat and consume it anytime. For each meal, calories, sugar, carbs, saturated fats, and sodium are listed which are part of the essential nutrition index, which seniors should know.
Heart to Home Meals stemmed from Apetito Wiltshire Farm Foods In the United Kingdom, specialized in frozen meal delivery service for more than 30 years. After repeating the same model in Canada, in 2019, Heart to Home Meals opened in Marlborough, MA.
“The drivers could go into homes, put the meals in the freezers for them, take cardboard boxes away and recycle,” said marketing director Lisa DiVincenzo. It is an option of service available to seniors.
The orders could be made by phone, online or paper order to better accommodate seniors. There is also no minimum order. Heart to Home Meals can be reached at (508) 658-3000 or https://hearttohomemeals.com/welcome/index.
Sylvia Chen can be reached at [email protected]
