Senior Meal Deliveries Continue

Area seniors that receive meal deliveries through the Upper Cumberland Development District will not see a disruption in that service.

Holly Williams is the Director of the Area Agency on Aging and Disability.

“That program has not been impacted,” Williams said. “Our providers have been able to continue that service as normal, so we’re happy there been on disruptions there. Now, many of our senior centers across the Upper Cumberland have decided to close for a period of time, and the participants at those senior centers are being offered meals to take home with them.”

Williams said that there are plans at the federal level to help expand food delivery programs, but she is unsure how that will affect seniors at the local level.

“There has been some additional funding approved for the home delivered meal programs and the congregant nutrition program,” Williams said. “Of course that has not been pushed down to our level here, so were not sure exactly how that’s going to impact us. I thinks it’s $160 million dollars for home delivered meals and $80 million dollars for congregant nutrition. By the time that gets divided up across the country, we don’t know exactly how much of an impact that will have on the Upper Cumberland.”

Williams said that they have asked those delivering meals take precautions to protect themselves.

“We have communicated to all of our providers to ask questions about the typical symptoms we’ve all heard about before coming into contact with clients,” Williams said.

Williams urges anybody that knows a senior needing assistance to contact her office. The number to call is (931) 432-4111.