● Meals on wheels in Charlotte-Mecklenburg ●
The Transparency Project
Recipients
Page initiated Jan. 10, 2009
Departures from the program could signal recipient disgust with poor service. But Friendship Trays believes that most of the turnover is a natural outcome of the nature of the program: Most of the recipients are elderly, many have serious or terminal illnesses, and as illness takes hold they may leave the program for institutional care. Friendship Trays' niche is providing nutritious meals that encourage health and well-being to prolong the time that an elderly or ailing recipient can live on her or his own. There often comes a time when institutional care is the best thing for all involved.
Here's an example of the departure details for the the 19-month period ending July 31, 2008. During that period, staff recorded 36 reasons for why a little over 900 people left the program.
The largest number, 297, departed after a “long hold” on deliveries. Why did
recipients initially ask that deliveries be put on hold?
Some went to the hospital. Some went to relatives’ homes. Some didn't expect
to need the meals for awhile for one reason or another, and went on "hold"
so they could receive meals quickly later. The records are not more precise
about those 297.
Of the remaining recipients:
– 15% died.
– 14% improved and no longer needed help.
– 9% moved away.
– 7% said their payments were burdensome.
– 6% were dissatisfied with the meals.
– 5% moved into a nursing home or other institutional care.
– 1% were administratively removed for cause.
The remaining 43% were coded “cancelled services” or “disenrolled” or a variety of other reasons.
Suggestions welcome: To comment or make suggestions on The Transparency Project, call Executive Director Lucy Bush Carter at 704-333-9229 or send an e-mail.