Mary Rose Moyer is a delightful, witty woman. We visited her just three days before she celebrated her 99th birthday to talk about Meals on Wheels (MOW). During our visit, she sprinkled in some perfectly timed jokes and offered us the comfiest chairs in the room, as any good hostess would. “I go to the table and chair by the door at 10:45 to wait for my food to arrive. That way the driver doesn’t have to wait too long for me to come to the door, I can reach the door handle easily from there.”

Mary Rose’s son, Glen joined us for our conversation. “Mom is always upbeat,” Glen shared, “but these meals are the highlight of her day.” Mary Rose still lives independently, but Glen and his wife can provide her with extra support from their adjoining home, if needed. Meals on Wheels deliveries add peace of mind for their family. “The independence that Meals on Wheels allows her is really important.”

Nearly blind, Mary Rose uses her walker to navigate from the front door to the dining table in the kitchen. There, she carefully puts her walker to the side, placing her hand on the table to guide herself to the kitchen counter. She uses her hands to orient herself in the kitchen. “Sometimes when I get turned around, I just run my hands like this along my counters until I find the sink. That helps me remember where I’m at.” She moved through the kitchen, which she does very well, to save the meal in the refrigerator for later.

We visited in her living room about the volunteers and the meals they deliver. Mary Rose shared that in all of her deliveries, she has never encountered a grumpy driver. On the day of our visit, Mary’s MOW driver was Sharon Sommer of Lolo, who delivers meals with her husband. “I always look forward to the dessert,” Mary Rose said with a chuckle. “And I always recycle my bags.” The day’s dessert was chocolate pudding, and the meal included applesauce, chicken, macaroni, green beans and milk. Mary Rose complimented the cooks who prepare Meals on Wheels. She says they are “nice, big meals that are especially good.” Glen told us there is often enough for her to save leftovers for later. Though Mary Rose admits with a smile, when it’s something really good, she will eat it all. She also greatly appreciates the extra MOW meals she gets for the weekend. She told us that at 99, “my lifelines are Meals on Wheels and books on tape.”

Meals on Wheels is a critical service for older adults in Missoula County like Mary Rose. Hunger and isolation have become increasingly common in recent years, and the program now serves 50% more people than before the pandemic. Missoula Aging Services expects to deliver 140,000 meals to homebound individuals this year and will serve almost 40,000 community lunches at locations throughout the county.