At its regular meeting on Nov. 4, Cranbrook council directed the city's Wellness and Heritage Committee to invite representatives from Interior Health to attend one of the committee's meetings to address concerns surrounding the replacement of the Meals on Wheels service.
On October 15, Interior Health replaced the program with the centralized frozen Dinners at Home service. The service is used by at least 20 members of the community.
Coun. Gerry Warner brought the resolution to council. Warner is on the wellness committee, which needed council's support to approach IH.
"I fully support what Coun. Warner is proposing," said Coun. Angus Davis.
In the resolution, the committee outlined their concerns. One concern was that the new frozen service won't cater to those who don't drive, as the meals need to be picked up at the Dr. F.W. Green Home. The Meals on Wheels program was delivered to the recipient's door. This also allowed those who live on their own and who couldn't get out to have regular social contact with someone.
The committee also expressed concern about the meals themselves as they have to be heated up by the clients, some of whom are too frail to manage that. They also note that similar frozen meals could be purchased from commercial outlets for a lower price.
Mayor Wayne Stetski said that there were some menu items being removed as well.
The frozen meals also don't provide beverages or salads as the Meals on Wheels program did.