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Meals on Wheel Central Texas (MOWCTX) provides meals to more than 5,000 home-bound older adults in the Austin area every weekday. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of client-volunteer interactions to assess the social benefits clients receive and ascertain if and how loneliness and social isolation are addressed.

Observations of volunteer-client interactions, interviews with clients and surveys of clients were conducted to gain insight into clients’ experiences with MOWCTX services.

Qualitative analysis of observation and interview data revealed four non-tangible benefits clients received from MOWCTX: reduced physical risks when mobility issues are present, a daily safety check, opportunities for social contact and increased ability to maintain independence. Survey results supported these conclusions.

This research examines the impact of volunteer-client relationships on the experience of loneliness and social isolation.

As a result of a marketing study to evaluate the consumer characteristics, service provision and degree of satisfaction with meals‐on‐wheels, recipients were found to have different characteristics from the general population, being on average, older, widowed, living alone, having little social contact, in poor health and not very mobile. A large majority received four or more meals per week; a hot meal was more popular than a cold one and the most popular time of delivery was around midday. A large majority of recipients were satisfied with the service.

Quality assurance is concentrated in manufacturing and over the last three to four years there has been an upsurge of interest in the public sector. Focuses on local authority social services departments, but literature and the implementation of quality assurance in the social services is very limited, particularly in specific areas such as Meals on Wheels, home care services and children′s homes. Provides an understanding of the requirements of implementing Quality Assurance (BS5750) in Social Services, particularly the Meals on Wheels service. Gives a brief outline of what is quality assurance and BS5750. Aims to provide social service practitioners with insight and guidance to the requirements of introducing BS5750 for the Meals on Wheels service.

It is a sad reflection on the development of nations that as they move from the extended family structure to that of the nuclear family, many of the responsible elements of the former are rejected. Much of the movement ‘forward’ has focused on technological development which, by its very nature, should be supportive to the elements of a caring society and not, as has often occurred, be to the detriment of the factors which make up its caring nature. In our highly developed, urbanised, commuter orientated, fast lane, high rise society, it has required the legislative activity of government edict and the care of charitable organisations to protect those most at risk. One sensitive area is that of feeding those who are no longer cared for by the extended family, some of our elderly population.

Combines a marketing study of the Meals on Wheels (MoW) service in Leicester, with a study of food consumption patterns in 1,500 elderly persons by the use of a self‐completed questionnaire, which aimed to evaluate the consumer characteristics, service provision and degree of satisfaction of MoW recipients and identify specific areas of dissatisfaction. Overall 88 per cent said they were very satisfied or satisfied with the service. Food consumption patterns showed that the majority of the elderly ate other food besides MoW but 26 per cent of recipients provided no information, suggesting that little other food was eaten. Further research is required on preference ratings for various types of meals and on the attitudes of the elderly to certain food types, e.g. fruit, vegetables, milk and other dairy products.

Presents the results of a self‐completed questionnaire aimed at determining the dietary patterns of all meals on wheels (MOW) for elderly recipients in Leicester which was distributed to 1,500 people in November 1990. A response rate of 75 per cent was achieved (32.8 per cent male and 67.2 per cent female), the greatest proportion being in the 80‐89 age range, with 91.1 per cent of the total number of recipients receiving four or five meals per week from the MOW service. Seventy‐four per cent of all recipients reported consuming other meals or snacks in addition to their MOW. The remaining 26 per cent failed to report eating anything else but their MOW. Of the total who reported eating other meals or snacks, 73.9 per cent reported they had breakfast, 12.8 per cent a mid‐morning snack, 23.4 per cent a mid‐afternoon snack, 58.8 per cent an evening meal/snack and 26 per cent supper. Presents a further breakdown of the main food patterns on each of these eating occasions, the major foods being convenience (bread, biscuits, cake etc) with little evidence of hot meal preparation.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the service process of municipal home care catering with respect to both sub‐processes and their development needs. One case is introduced.

Existing research on Meals‐On‐Wheels is illustrated. The theoretical concepts include service design, a service process, and a foodservice production process. Empirical data were collected from the two representatives of the case organisation by using a theme interview form.

The service process of home care catering comprises an information system and four sub‐processes: customer registration and ordering; food production; meal delivery; and invoicing. The main development needs focus on the electronic information system. Other development needs concern menu design, utilizing a cook‐chill method, delivering chilled meals, offering a service voucher, and implementing invoicing with other municipalities.

Due to an aging population, demand on the municipal home care catering services is increasing. The efficiency of the sub‐processes has to be improved by an electronic information system. Alternative models in home care catering service have to be offered.

The findings offer ideas to other home care catering organisations for developing their service processes.

Meals on Wheels (MOW) support older people to live in their own homes and communities. The purpose of this paper is to explore MOW experiences from a multi-stakeholder level to inform and better equip this valuable service.

A qualitative approach was undertaken utilising semi-structured interviews and focus groups with current, former and potential MOW service users and MOW stakeholders.

Qualitative analysis explored MOW perspectives and experiences, highlighting a lack of MOW information and awareness, the importance of a client-centred approach the multiple roles of MOW and service transition.

This research explores MOW from the perspective of different groups directly involved in this community service, offering unique multi-stakeholder insights to understand and guide the future of this service.

Few make any mental preparation for old age, and for many who give it any thought at all, its prospects can be depressing. However, old age comes to most and its attendant losses can be daunting for those who are unprepared