A cohort of volunteers is helping maintain regular deliveries of meals, and toilet paper, to hundreds of households weekly on the Mid North Coast.
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Omnicare Meals Service has adapted to changes in its operations, brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.
Meals service manager Alvena Ferguson said its branches at Forster, Taree, Laurieton, Port Macquarie, Wauchope, Kempsey and Sawtell had been working to full capacity in recent weeks.
"We're getting meals delivered, as we always do, but we're under the pump alright," she said.
"How we deliver the meals has changed for the vast majority of clients.
"For around 80 per cent of them, we're leaving the meals outside their front doors - in receptacles they provide for us," Alvena said.
"The volunteer waits to make sure the meals are brought indoors, otherwise they're returned to the branch and a new arrangement made.
"For the remainder who wish to continue having someone enter their homes, we've implemented our own measures to maintain social distancing and infection control.
There are some clients whose only regular contact with their community are through the volunteer who calls to their door with their meals. They're socially isolated as a way of life
- Omnicare Meals service manager Alvena Ferguson
"There are some clients whose only regular contact with their community are through the volunteer who calls to their door with their meals. They're socially isolated as a way of life."
A few volunteers have dropped off the delivery roster, during the coronavirus clampdown. Omnicare is filling any gaps by redeploying staff from elsewhere in the organisation to its Meals Service branches.
There have been more enquiries from potential clients, Ms Ferguson said, and she anticipated this would increase further as the pandemic situation developed.
Clients will find a welcome addition to their meals. Omnicare Meals Service has itself taken delivery of what is becoming a precious household commodity.
A supermarket chain has furnished Meals On Wheels NSW with toilet rolls to distribute among clients. As an affiliate of the state body, Omnicare's operation has received its allocation.
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