Middlefield Post
It’s Your Wellbeing
October 15, 2014
Feeding Our Homebound Seniors
By Christina Grand Porter
T
he Geauga Department and he was impressed with you’re young, you think you know everything, but once on Aging is putting what they were doing. He you hit about 30, you begin to realize you don’t.” In his view, out an urgent request, figured he had to get out years equal wisdom. He said he has never opened or looked especially in the eastern part there and help with the great at the meals he delivers, but judging by their wonderful of the county, for help to get things they were achieving. aromas, he would definitely eat them. hot meals to homebound He said that police officers Chief Smigelski plans to continue to deliver the meals seniors. There are presently no have to deal with too many until he retires. After that, he looks forward to delivering two business groups volunteering bad things, like lies or three times a week. to deliver to the Huntsburg, and deception, “It’s so important, Middlefield and Middlefield and it can change yet so simple, to Village areas where there is who you are if be involved in your great demand. For some of you are unable to community no matter the seniors, the delivery driver recognize the good what your position,” may be the only other person that is also out he said. He also enjoys they see that day, making Tidying up after the day’s meals were delivered to homebound there. Delivering working with kids and the visit their bright spot. seniors are (l to r) Marianne Deatsch, coordinator; Jessica the meals helps developed Burton’s Volunteers, once trained, can Boalt, Geauga County Department on Aging director and Bill him keep a firm four-day Safety Town deliver meals as a substitute, Phillips, communication and volunteer specialist. grasp on the fact program from the once a month or as often as they like. that there are a lot of wonderful citizens in our ground up, so he also This is a great opportunity for companies that community. He said everything is ready when he had a little advice encourage their employees to engage in community gets to the senior center so he can just grab the for parents: “Invest service and for civic groups, church groups and meals and go. He delivers on Wednesdays, mainly time in your kids and organizations seeking worthwhile causes to champion. to Burton Village, but has a few stops a bit farther they’ll skyrocket in Groups can take on a route and assign a different person out. He said he can do the route in an hour, but it Burton Chief of Police, Rick Smigelski ready to life. Teach them skills, each day or each week so it isn’t as big a commitment can take him longer if he takes time to chat with deliver meals to homebound seniors. punctuality, manners, for each individual. For instance, those groups who drive the seniors who want to talk. One woman he visits gave him and not to lie.” once a week can have one employee drive for the a tour of her house. Another woman gives him cookies all In 2013, there were 46,906 meals delivered to 374 organization this Tuesday, a different co-worker drive the time. She has cancer and her hands shake so he brings seniors. Meal routes are delivered Monday through Friday the next Tuesday and each Tuesday after that until every the food all the way into the house for her. He makes sure and usually take between 1 to 11/2 hours from start to finish volunteer driver has had a turn to drive. Volunteers everyone he delivers to has his number and understands to drive nutritious lunches to 10 or 15 homebound seniors. determine their own driving schedule. they can call him at any time about anything - even personal Those 18 years of age or older who have a valid driver’s One man who has answered the Department’s matters. He reported that the seniors enjoy the interaction license and proof of insurance can call the Geauga County desperate call is Burton Chief of Police, Rick Smigelski. with the police and he likes that it helps them recognize Department on Aging at 440-279-2130, 440-564-7133, ext. When he was a member of Leadership Geauga in 2010, police officers as human beings. 2130, or 440-834-1586, ext. 2130. Seniors may also call these the group took a tour of the Geauga Department on Aging “I respect the seniors,” Chief Smigelski said. “When numbers to have meals delivered to them.