According to a new report, Australia’s iconic Meals on Wheels services are delivering more than just a meal to their combined 200,000 customers. They’re combating social isolation among Australia’s growing ageing population – one meal at a time.
The report by Huber Social found that strong relationships among Meals on Wheels customers – majority living alone – and volunteers resulted in significant improvements of 15% to overall customer wellbeing.
Improvements were also found to extend to Meals on Wheels volunteers. The report notes that Meals on Wheels volunteers have 10% higher self-rated overall wellbeing than other comparable Australians and 4% higher than similar volunteers.
Meals on Wheels Australia President Sharyn Broer says these findings further highlight the incredibly important role of Meals on Wheels in supporting older Australians and significantly reducing their risk of social isolation, among both customers and volunteers alike.
“This new report shows just how vital the Meals on Wheels service is in our community, in combating the rising issue of social isolation, and improving the health and wellbeing of older Australians through the provision of nutritious meals and meaningful social connection,” she says.
“We already know the important impact Meals on Wheels and our incredible volunteers are having across Australian communities every day. This report is a testimony to that. They truly are our secret ingredient.”
At Meals on Wheels, we know just how incredible each and every one of our more than 45,000 volunteers are. Every day, it is these volunteers who are at the forefront of our community providing nutritious meals, social connection and wellbeing checks on older Australians living in their own homes – the role they play and the service they help us provide is truly invaluable.
Want to learn more about what Meals on Wheels does and how you can help? Click here.
