This van provides the “wheels” for the Coconino County Department of Health and Human Services “Meals on Wheels” program. The program provides an elderly person in the area with nearly 1,825 meals a month for her.

Tuesday’s four-vehicle fleet was loaded in light winds just one day after digging out the snow.

Gabby Short was one of those who were shoveling snow on Monday. An advanced nutrition program supervisor was out in sneakers and a puffy jacket to make way for a matte gray wheeled cart loaded with enchiladas, mangoes and milk. While making sure the driver had her map ready and a portioned lunch ready for the road, she explained the team was predicting another brutal storm. .

So it wasn’t just hot food that was loaded into the van on Tuesday, there was also frozen food.

More than 100 seniors in Coconino County are enrolled in the Meals on Wheels program, according to Michele Axlund, deputy director of Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS).

Meals on Wheels is one of two free lunch options offered by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to seniors in Coconino County. There are group meals at community centers and dinner parties for people who have difficulty leaving their homes. Eligibility is age, not income. Guests over the age of 60 can join a group meal or sign up for a home delivery service.

Food is provided free of charge and serves as an important source of both nutrition and social interaction.

For Helen Grant, Meals on Wheels is her lifeblood.

She has lived in Flagstaff for over 35 years. Now she is having problems with her eyesight, balance and even breathing. All health issues make tasks like cooking and grocery shopping very difficult.

Grant attended Meals on Wheels last October. When asked what this program means to her, she replies “everything.”

“If it weren’t for them, I think I would have been lost,” said Grant. “It saves me a lot. Besides money, it’s prep and cleanup.”

Grant relies on his daily meals, but he also relies on visits from delivery drivers.

One of Short’s goals is to ensure that seniors in Coconino County have access to only the food they need. She wants every resident to feel a valued part of the community, whether they’re homebound or not.

“In February, we made Meals on Wheels into tiny little individual cakes so they could still feel the love,” Short said. We do other little things too. I made cupcakes for St. Patty’s Day. Again, still make them feel part of things, feel the excitement of it. “

For the recent holiday season, Short created a cookie decorating kit for Meals on Wheels customers. Delivery drivers partnered with other organizations to coordinate routes to deliver gifts to some 109 seniors.

“Christmas! Without the county and Meals on Wheels, I wouldn’t even be able to spend Christmas. It was,” Grant said. She stopped and sighed. “I cried. I didn’t expect it. It was amazing. They delivered the best blanket! They asked what we needed and my kitchen trash can They brought me a brand new kitchen trash can with trash can liners and paper plates.Do you have it?It has tree ornaments and I finally got a little picture.Meals It’s a group photo of everyone who works at on Wheels.It was amazing to see.The people who work there…it was like Carol or something came and friends came to visit.”

According to Lorraine Crim, senior service program manager at CCHHS, many drivers often report that they are the only ones many clients see each day.

That’s why the benefits check element of Meals on Wheels delivery is important. Delivery people not only deliver food, but also ensure the safety of seniors and keep them looking healthy while carrying their daily lunches.

“It’s very reassuring to know that someone can be expected to be here at a certain time. Just a ‘Hello, hello!’ is a big thing.” Just to meet someone,” said Grant. “I’m so scared of falling I can’t even step out of my house. I’m terrified to death of falling.”

Grant is not alone. For homebound seniors, falls can be devastating and even life-threatening emergencies.

“Drivers have run into people who have fallen. They’re the ones who find them, rescue them, and call 911. It’s happened a few times while I’ve been here.

The risk of slips, trips and falls increases during the winter months.

Michele Axlund, Deputy Director of CCHHS, said: “You know, they go outside to see the snow, wonder if they should help their neighbors shovel snow, they trip and get hurt. It’s kind of like the traditional dietary philosophy – to make sure the elderly are being checked.

That’s one reason, says Crim. Last week she had to cancel her 3 days in a row due to dangerous road conditions.

Cancellations are scary for Grant.

“When they didn’t come while it was snowing, oh my god, that sucks. I’m scared because I can’t get out. I can’t do that. I really miss them and they come.” “Sometimes that was all I could eat,” said Grant.

However, CCHHS has a plan to ensure that no one goes hungry. Also call all seniors on the route to make sure they are okay.

“We were ready. I tell them to save these meals I’ll call you in the morning If it doesn’t look safe you have to keep your staff safe Gabby and I will answer the phone and put that call Then the drivers each call their clients and tell them they won’t be coming that day. I got

This winter’s shipping cancellations were unprecedented. Axlund said it’s not uncommon for counties to distribute frozen emergency rations in the fall to heat and eat as needed in the winter. They usually provide a handful each year as a precaution. After the Storm system hit northern Arizona this year, one batch of frozen food wasn’t enough to feed people like the Storm system did.

That is why more emergency rations were dispatched on Tuesday ahead of today’s weather.

Last week’s storm wreaked havoc on utilities, with Axlund telling drivers to check on each customer to make sure they’re safe and have power, water and plans in case the gas or lights go out. Axlund said the county is ready to help older people move to warmer shelters and even temporarily move them to hotels if they have medical needs. I was.

“Some seniors reported not having proper plans in case utilities went down. Now we also have a case manager phone number. Sometimes we get two or three calls a day,” says Axlund.

“When it comes to placement,” says Axlund. Everyone was able to reach where they needed to be. Keep your home warm with things like heaters and generators. “

Enabling Coconino County community members to age on the fly and maintain the comfort and independence of their own homes is one of the primary goals of programs like Meals on Wheels.

Each lunch is designed to meet one-third of the recommended dietary needs of an adult American.

“We try to offer a great variety. Everything is fresh. Even, I know. This is the same for many of our Meals on Wheels clients. I’ve heard stories of people starving quite a bit and losing weight, and gaining weight by joining the Meals on Wheels program. It’s just getting better overall,” he said Crim.

By appointing case managers to seniors, the county also hopes to ensure that seniors get what they need, including basic nutrition. And you don’t have to choose between meals, says Axlund.

“Individuals, senior citizens or not, struggle to pay their utility bills. It’s all about the heat here,” said Axlund. “We can help pay our utility bills. The utilities here are great and work with us to keep their heating up.”

For Grant, signing up for Meals on Wheels alone was a big step and eased her burden both financially and emotionally.

“I first learned about Meals on Wheels in Southern Arizona. My mother was very old and my husband could not help her. After doing some research and preparing a meal on wheels for my mother and husband, the worry went away.Grant, whose family lives in Pennsylvania and Ohio, said: .

Experiences like Grant’s are why Axlund recommends exploring the services available to seniors in Coconino County. Earlier this year, Case his manager was able to help a veteran secure hearing aids and understand their benefits. According to Axlund, this was life-changing.

On cold days, welfare checks can save lives.

“They can call our office here at the Department of Health and Human Services and say they’re interested in the seniors program because we actually provide home care for seniors as well. We really want them to be able to age on the spot for as long as possible.So they can make calls, access those services, access case managers and tie them to their benefits. We can,” says Axlund.