SENIOR citizens in north Shropshire will get their chance to quiz council representatives about the future of their meals on wheels services – which are due to be axed at the end of March.
Stephen Chandler, assistant director of adult social care, will be at a meeting of the Shropshire Association of Senior Citizen Forums today, Thursday, at 2pm at Wem Senior Club to explain Shropshire Council’s proposals in more detail and to answer questions from the elderly.
The retraction of the service could potentially leave dozens of senior citizens without access to regular hot meals and the vital personal contact with the people who deliver the meals.
John Dodson, forum vice-chairman, said: “We want to find out more and give elderly people reassurance. We want more clarity about what the council are going to do regarding substitution of meals on wheels where that’s going to happen.
“At the moment there’s local concern because the information is rather sketchy. The major issue for people who have meals on wheels is that it’s a safety and social contact and all we really want to be assured of is that this contact is properly maintained. The drivers on occasion have called doctors or called an ambulance for their clients and we want to made sure that this vital contact is kept up.”
Shropshire Council plans to end the service in Bomere Heath and in Wem districts at the end of March, and mid May in the Whitchurch district.
By Pam Griffin
