By Stacie N. Galang
Business tripled in Peabody and doubled in Salem this Thanksgiving, but that's not necessarily good news for Meals on Wheels, which delivers food daily to housebound seniors.
The number of low-cost meals served at senior centers in Beverly, Danvers, Peabody and Salem has spiked, too.
Those who work closely with seniors say the economy has hit the oldest population hard. Rising costs for prescriptions and changes to federal programs have contributed to their dire circumstances.
This year, 125 turkey dinners will be delivered to Peabody seniors, up from 40 meals last year, said April Paolini, assistant director of Peabody food pantry Haven From Hunger.
The Thanksgiving meals are donated and prepared by John Keohane, owner of Henry's Market in Beverly, and his family and delivered through Peabody's Council on Aging, Paolini said.
Ordinarily, Peabody's Council on Aging cooks the delivered meals but defers to the Keohanes and Haven From Hunger's large kitchen facility for the grander holiday supper.
"They bring a nice plate," the assistant director said. "They do it pretty good."
Paolini said she's hearing from frustrated seniors who have been squeezed financially and must rely more on local social-service agencies to help fill the gaps.
"I know even people with food stamps are finding it difficult to buy food," said Sandra Cloutman, Peabody's Meals on Wheels coordinator. "If your income is just Social Security, it can be very difficult, especially with the cost of prescriptions and heating costs."
Peabody sends out about 200 meals a day to people over age 60, she said.
"It's been going up all year," said Cloutman, who has overseen the program since June.
More health care professionals are referring seniors to the Meals on Wheels program, Cloutman said. The program also hears from a smaller number of neighbors, building managers or relatives who ask for a meal to be delivered to an elderly person.
The meals coordinator said a donation of $2.25 is requested for Meals on Wheels and for the Torigian Life Center's in-house daily lunches, but no one will be refused a plate.
Sandy George, Salem's Meals on Wheels volunteer coordinator, said the program handed out about 60 meals last year and plans to deliver 110 today.
"My sense is that it's the economy," she said. "It's really bad. Seniors can't just afford to do the traditional Thanksgiving dinner."
George said rising expenses across the board, specifically for medical bills, have left seniors struggling to eat.
"It's very hard for them now to afford food," she said. "Sometimes I see them making choices between food and meds."
Salem's home-delivered meals overall have "gone way up" as have the meals offered at its Senior Center.
Part of the increase may come from a change in the lunch vendor Sidekim of Lynn whose meals are popular, George said.
"The food is great," the volunteer coordinator said.
Since she took on the job about five months ago, the number of people coming for daily $2.25 meals has grown from five to as many as 30.
Most leave a donation in a special envelope, she said. No one is refused a meal, and sometimes the unmarked envelopes are left empty.
Elaine Heredeen, site manager for Beverly's Meals on Wheels, said the home delivery program has remained about the same, but the city's Senior Center meals have doubled. They did sell about 30 meals a day but have gone up to about 60 a day.
"We're very busy here every day," the coordinator said. "In the last six months, it's gotten progressively busier."
With money tight, people know they can have a hot meal daily and interact with friends because of the center's many social activities, Heredeen said.
She has also noticed that more seniors as young as 60 are taking advantage of the center's many programs and meals.
"We're appealing to a younger crowd, too," Heredeen said.
Pam Parkinson, Danvers' director of senior and social services, said the number of delivered meals has gone up by 2,500 from 2007 to the present.
Meals sold at the Danvers Senior Center have also increased, she said.
"I know that it's definitely busy," Parkinson said of the Meals on Wheels program. Danver's program coordinator Cathy Andre's phone rings off the hook, she said.
Parkinson said changes to the state's Prescription Advantage program, which supplements Medicare prescription costs, may be contributing to seniors' tighter budgets.
The Meals on Wheels program and senior center dinners may be experiencing higher participation because people are lonelier, Parkinson said.
The meal delivery person may be the only person a senior sees all day.
"The other thing that people don't talk about often is the need for the human connection," she said. "To me, that's almost as important as the nutritional benefit of the program."
Parkinson noted that referrals to senior programs across the board tend to increase during the holidays because children who may keep in touch by phone see their parents in person and realize they need more care.
Meals for Seniors
To make a referral to Meals on Wheels or to make a monetary donation, call a local senior center.
Beverly: 978-927-9544
Danvers: 978-762-0208
Peabody: 978-531-2254
Salem: 978-744-0924
