“Are you OK?” shouted the driver, banging on the door. A feeble voice from behind the locked door responded this time. “Help me!” he whispered.
The driver dropped the meal and pulled out her phone. She made a quick phone call to the gentleman’s emergency contact, and 911 with the address. Help was on the way.
The driver talked to the gentleman in the house assuring him that help was on the way. The EMT was quick to respond and whisked the gentleman off to the hospital. The driver finished her delivery route, bringing warm meals to seniors, and checking on them.
The wellness check part of Meals on Wheels is so important. For many of their clients, it might be the only person they see all day. “We have a protocol for instances of abnormality in the routine,” explained Dave Caron, Nutrition Services Program Manager for Flathead County’s Agency on Aging. “We rely on our drivers to follow the procedures as this driver did last week.”
“They visit people with dementia, declining health, and weak bones. Our drivers see the same clients and get to know them, listen to their stories, or maybe they grab the mail or reach for something on a high shelf in their home. They notice people.”
“The gentleman’s daughter called me today to tell us that, because of our driver’s quick response, her father will be okay,” Dave said as he fought back his tears. “Her actions were credited with saving his life and he is now recovering in the hospital. This is just one example of how caring our volunteers are and how we need more people like this in our community.”
The driver doesn’t want any attention. This incident happened nearly a week ago, just delivering a hot meal.
You can help. We need drivers. You can deliver one day a week or five days. We’re flexible if you’re willing. Call us at +1 (406) 758-5730.