By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
As Pat McCutchan-Vernier loaded the chicken casserole and pork chops into her car on Thursday, she knew she was delivering more than just hot meals to local senior citizens.
“The people say the food’s great,” she said – with Thursday’s King Ranch Chicken Casserole being a real favorite among the more than 800 seniors who rely on the hot home-delivered meals from the Wood County Committee on Aging.
But it goes beyond the nutritional benefits. Within the past month, two volunteers delivering meals to people on Bowling Green routes noticed health problems and reported the seniors needed medical assistance.
On Jan. 18, McCutchan-Vernier was dropping off food to one of her regulars, when she noticed something wasn’t right.
“When she came to the door, she just looked jaundiced,” she said. “She was acting fine and didn’t seem to be in any pain.”
But McCutchan-Vernier, a former doctor who has been delivering meals for about five years, reported her concerns to Angie Bradford, director of food service at the Wood County Committee on Aging.
Bradford called the woman’s son, who went over to check on his mom, who still felt fine but was “very yellow.” He took her to the emergency room, where it was discovered that she had a clogged bile duct. The woman had surgery to remove the blockage.
McCutchan-Vernier, whose delivery route has 26-30 seniors, realizes her volunteer role is about more than a hot lunch.
“I think it’s very helpful, and the people are grateful for someone to talk to,” she said.
And it gives the Wood County Committee on Aging a set of eyes in each home every weekday to make sure meal recipients are safe, Bradford said.
On Feb. 6, another Bowling Green volunteer (who wished to not be identified) was delivering food to a home when the senior took a spill.
“She got up to get the lunch and she fell,” Bradford said. The volunteer pushed the woman’s walker to her to help her get up, and called 911 for emergency medical aid.
WCCOA President Paul Herringshaw talked about the valuable service provided by the lunch volunteers.
“Our home-delivered meals drivers are the eyes and ears for our families,” Herringshaw said.
While some other counties have had to limit their meal deliveries to fewer days each week, Wood County remains committed to deliveries every weekday.
“This reaffirms why we strive to keep the five-day a week deliveries,” said Denise Niese, executive director of the WCCOA.
Earlier this year when the winter weather conditions prevented volunteers from making their meal rounds, all the seniors on the routes received shelf-ready meals prior to the bad weather – and received a phone call each day from the volunteers to make sure they were alright, Niese said.
Bradford is familiar with the need for a daily check-in with seniors who may have little contact with people outside their homes.
In 2021 Bradford was subbing on a meal route, when she sensed there was something wrong as she tried to deliver a meal to a senior citizen in Troy Township and found the door locked.
Having delivered meals to the home a couple times before, Bradford was surprised that the door was locked this time. She knocked and called for the woman inside, then heard stumbling in the house.
“I heard her moving around, but it sounded like she was having a difficult time,” Bradford said.
Then she heard the woman say, “I can’t get my legs to work,” Bradford said.
Eventually, the woman made it to the door.
“As soon as she opened the door, I could smell the gas,” Bradford said.
Bradford went inside and saw that a burner on the gas stove was on, but was not lit. She immediately opened windows in the manufactured home and called 911.
“That’s why daily home meals are so important,” Niese said at the time. WCCOA has been delivering meals to seniors in their homes since 1981.
