Explore the 60-Up Dining Trail! Senior Community Meals happen year-round throughout Windham and Windsor Counties. Besides offering nutritious meals, these dinners often include programs such as bookmobiles, games, guest speakers, or educational presentations. Some sites also serve breakfast.
Many participants say a community meal is like going out to a favorite restaurant, and it’s a great way to stay connected with others.
There is usually a suggested donation of $2.50 to $4.00 for seniors aged 60 and over. Diners under 60 are typically charged $4 to $5. Meals on weekends and special occasions may, in some cases, require diners of all ages to pay $5. If you wish to give a larger donation, it will gladly be accepted to support the meal program.
Whether you’re eight or eighty, eating well-balanced meals rich
in vitamins and minerals is very important to your health.
Sometimes it’s difficult to shop for, cook or even care about
the foods we eat. We may be recovering from an illness, be homebound,
or unable to shop or cook.
Meals on Wheels is a service designed to help
eligible seniors and others meet their nutritional needs during
such challenging times.
Availability of Meals on Wheels: Throughout Windham and Windsor counties:
The following areas offer hot meals 5 days a week with frozen
meals available for weekends and holidays:
Bellows Falls
Brattleboro/Vernon/Guilford
Ludlow
Saxtons River
Springfield
Westminster
White River Junction
Windsor
Woodstock
In most other towns, meals are available on
a more limited basis. Please call for information about meals
in your town. 1-800-642-5119
Eligibility Guidelines: A person is eligible
for Meals on Wheels if she/he is 60 years or more and is affected
by either one of the following:
Has a temporary or permanent
incapacity due to illness or advancing age
Is nutritionally at risk—cannot
always purchase adequate foodstuffs or cannot prepare meal
Or is under 60 years and meets
any of the following:
Is the spouse of an eligible
participant
Has a disability and resides
with a Meals on Wheels recipient
Has a disability and is referred
by the Vermont Center for Independent Living
Delivery:
Meals are delivered by volunteers from the community around the
noon hour.
Donations: The Meals on Wheels program depends on participant
contributions to help support the service. Voluntary contributions
are encouraged although no eligible person will be denied for
lack of ability to contribute. There is a suggested donation of
$2.50 per meal.
Meals on Wheels are brought to you by the Council
on Aging of Southeastern Vermont, Inc. in conjunction with Senior
Centers, community meal sites and some restaurants in Windham
and Windsor counties.
We want to provide you with the best possible
service. If at any time you are dissatisfied with the nutrition
services provided, we encourage you to contact our agency. Assessments
are done annually to assure your needs are being met.
1-800-642-5119
A Registered Dietitian is available to provide one on one nutritional
Counseling for Meals on Wheels clients who are at high nutritional
risk. Clients are visited in their homes to assess need and
develop an appropriate dietary program.
Food Stamps are food benefits - This is
a nutrition program that is intended to be sure everyone has
enough to eat when the cost of living rises faster than people's
incomes.
Who is Eligible? There are income and
resource requirements, and income eligibility is relative to
your cost of housing and medical costs.
New rules, such as owning a car, make
it easier for you to qualify for food benefits. You may own
the home you are living in and still be eligible to participate
in the Food Stamp Program. You may be eligible now even if you
were not in the past!
Great Reasons to Apply for the USDA Food
Benefits Program:
Your health is important, and Food
Benefits can help you pay for nutritious food. Eating right
will keep you and your family healthy. Good health reduces
doctor's visits and medical bills.
Privacy: If you are under 65, food
stamp benefits are accessed through the new electronic benefits
card. Only you and the store clerk will know you used the
card. If you are over 65 or disabled, your benefits can be
direct deposited into your savings or checking account.
There is enough for everyone! By law
everyone who is eligible for benefits receives them, so participation
in the program does not mean there is less available for others!
What is it? The Commodity
Supplemental food program (CSFP) is a USDA nutrition program
that offers free monthly nutrition information and nutritious
foods like:
Canned fruits & veggies
Fruit juices
Cereals
Cheese
Who is Eligible?
60 years of age or older, living in Vermont
and income-eligible
A child under 6 years of age and not already
in the WIC program
A woman who is pregnant or postpartum for
less than a year and not already in the WIC program
Individual and/or household income will be
used to determine eligibility. Each household member may be
eligible, and will need to complete an application form.
What is it? The Vermont Food Bank works through local Food Shelves to offer groceries to low-income residents. To find your local Food Shelf and learn about local eligibility guidelines, visit www.vtfoodbank.org or phone 211 for guidance.
New Video - A Ride with Ray
Ray tells stories about the old days, meets up with some friends, and shows us how he gets around in rural Vermont with the help of his tractor. This project was funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) and produced by the non-profit Council On Aging for Southeastern Vermont, Inc., an Area Agency On Aging.
Chances are you know someone who has fallen or who is afraid of falling. A Matter of Balance is a proven program designed to help people manage concerns about falls and increase physical activity. A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls is conducted in 8 two-hour sessions and uses group discussion, problem–solving strategies, videos and gentle physical exercise. Older adults learn positive coping methods to reduce fear of falling and remain active and independent.
If you would like to attend or want more information, please contact Cheryl Baxley, A Matter of Balance Coordinator at 802-885-2655, E-mail: cbaxley@coasevt.org
Healthier Living Workshops are a free, six-week series which helps participants learn to live better with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes. New programs begin at regular intervals. Sessions include a variety of fun activities in a very supportive atmosphere. Some topics covered are:
techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation
appropriate use of medications
how to talk with family, friends and health professionals so they understand your needs
Maintaining
optimum physical and mental health are important components
of successful aging. It is never too late to gain greater
stamina, strength and flexibility. You can improve your
balance, strengthen your bones, gain or lose weight.
And as you do so, your quality of life - digestion, mood,
sleep patterns, ability and desire to be actively involved
- can all get better. Exercising alone can fit into anyone’s
schedule, and is also a healthy and fun way to spend time
with friends.
Please note: not all exercise programs and not all exercises are appropriate for all people. Before beginning a new exercise or exercise program, it is best to check with your medical doctor.
You can find all kinds of exercise opportunities tailored
for seniors in Windsor
and Windham
Counties, including the Strong Living program and Bone
Builders.
Windham and Windsor Counties have many sports and fitness facilities. Click here for more information (this will open a Microsoft Word document).
If you prefer to exercise alone, the National Institute
on Aging has a free guide book on exercise called Exercise:
A Guidebook from the National Institute on Aging,
which you can get by requesting a copy at www.nih.gov/nia.
Some good resources in Vermont are The Governor’s Walking
Challenge and Get Moving Vermont programs; request information
on these two programs by emailing jnyemck@vdh.state.vt.us.
You can learn about physical activity on line at www.asaging.org/cdc/.
You can compare the benefits of different exercise options
by downloading our Exercise
options and their benefits (this page will open in a
new browser window).
You can work out with a virtual trainer at www.strongwomen.com, a website where you can follow along with an exercise program. They also offer videos and DVDs of the exercise programs for sale.
Explore the 60-Up Dining Trail! Senior Community Meals happen year-round throughout Windham and Windsor Counties. Besides offering nutritious meals, these dinners often include programs such as bookmobiles, games, guest speakers, or educational presentations. Some sites also serve breakfast.
Whether you’re eight or eighty, eating well-balanced meals rich
in vitamins and minerals is very important to your health. 
Delivery:
Meals are delivered by volunteers from the community around the
noon hour. 
Maintaining
optimum physical and mental health are important components
of successful aging. It is never too late to gain greater
stamina, strength and flexibility. You can improve your
balance, strengthen your bones, gain or lose weight.
And as you do so, your quality of life - digestion, mood,
sleep patterns, ability and desire to be actively involved
- can all get better. Exercising alone can fit into anyone’s
schedule, and is also a healthy and fun way to spend time
with friends.
Windham and Windsor Counties have many sports and fitness facilities. 