AgeWell Services has eliminated waitlists for both its Meals on Wheels and Senior Medical Transportation programs, giving seniors 60 and older in Muskegon, Oceana, and Ottawa counties faster access to critical services.
WATCH: AgeWell Services eliminates waitlists for Meals on Wheels and Senior Medical Transportation programs
The waitlist for Meals on Wheels peaked at over 600 seniors in recent years.
The Senior Medical Transportation program's waitlist peaked at around 100 seniors, therefore limiting the availability of scheduled rides.
Increased volunteer engagement, program enhancements, and community partnerships have enabled AgeWell Services to better meet this growing demand.
Jennifer Drury, AgeWell Services' community engagement director, said the community's response made the difference.
"When we shared how high the waitlists were getting, the community rallied behind us even more," Drury said.
Last fiscal year, thousands of volunteer hours helped sustain both programs.
"Over 9,000 hours were donated to AgeWell Services for all of our volunteer programs, and the two highest are Meals on Wheels and Senior Medical Transportation," Drury said.
With the waitlists now cleared, AgeWell Services is looking to grow its volunteer base to keep up with demand.
"Now that we have no waitlist, and more clients for both programs are coming in, we're definitely now in need of even more volunteers," Drury said.
What each program offers
Meals on Wheels drivers deliver food to homebound seniors 60 and older three times a week in Muskegon, Oceana, and Ottawa counties. About 1,100 seniors are currently enrolled, accounting for nearly 2,000 meals delivered each week.
The Senior Medical Transportation program provides door-to-door rides for low-income seniors to non-emergency medical appointments. The program is available only in Muskegon County. About 180 seniors are currently enrolled, with nearly 1,000 rides provided each month.
Both programs currently have about 50 volunteers each.
A volunteer's perspective
Kim Lange has driven for Meals on Wheels for 11 years. She said that for many seniors on her route, she is the only person they interact with all day, making the role about far more than delivering food.
"It enriches your heart and your soul to know that you've helped another human being, especially one who has aged," Lange said.
She encourages others to get involved.
How to volunteer
Meals on Wheels drivers:
- Deliveries on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
- Delivery times are between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
- Routes vary between 1 and 2 hours and are available in all 3 counties.
- Volunteers use their own vehicles; mileage reimbursement is provided.
Senior Medical Transportation drivers:
- Available in Muskegon County only.
- Drivers transport clients to any non-emergency medical appointment, door to door.
- Drivers are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Shifts are about 4 hours each.
Background checks and license checks are required for both programs.
How to enroll
Older adults or caregivers interested in enrolling in Meals on Wheels or Senior Medical Transportation programs can contact AgeWell Services at (231) 755-0434.
Press option 1 for Meals on Wheels or option 2 for Senior Medical Transportation.
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