Amador Senior Center takes over Meals on Wheels in Calaveras; highlights volunteer, caregiver and fitness programs

Chris Colton of the Amador County Senior Center said the center took over the Meals on Wheels contract for Calaveras County, beginning July 1, 2024, and described a range of programs the center runs for residents aged 60 and older.

Colton said the Meals on Wheels expansion allows the Amador Senior Center to deliver meals into Calaveras County but not to operate congregate meal sites across county lines. “We administer the Meals on Wheels program in Amador County. And just starting July first of 2024, we took over the contract for Calaveras as well,” Colton said.

The Meals on Wheels program and the center’s congregate dining sites are designed both to supply nutrition and to reduce social isolation among older adults. Colton said homebound seniors who are 60 or older qualify for Meals on Wheels deliveries; congregate dining is open to people 60 and older who can travel to a site. “Nobody's refused service for their inability to contribute to the program,” he added, describing a suggested participant contribution of $5 for congregate meals.

Colton listed five congregate dining sites the center operates: Pioneer (Tuesdays), Pine Grove (Wednesdays), Jackson (Monday–Friday), Ione (Thursdays) and a new site in Plymouth (Mondays). He said the Jackson site serves five meals a week and that people from nearby counties sometimes attend, although the center cannot serve across county lines where contract limitations apply. He noted that congregate meals meet about one-third of recommended daily caloric intake for older adults and that meals are served low-sodium by default.

The program provides additional practical supports, Colton said: daily delivery drivers also perform welfare checks for homebound clients, volunteers and staff connect clients to utility discounts such as PG&E’s CARE program, help reconnect disconnected propane service when needed, and arrange temporary devices such as life-alert systems for repeat fallers.

Colton described caregiver support groups for unpaid family caregivers and a grief support group administered in partnership with hospice that includes social workers and chaplaincy resources. “It's designed for people who are unpaid. So these are family members or neighbors or friends who are taking care of an older adult who needs that support at home,” he said.

The center runs classes and services intended to maintain independence: Foothill Fitness strength, balance and flexibility classes (including a Zoom option for homebound seniors), computer and Zoom training in partnership with the county library and a Cyber Seniors program, HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program) appointments funded by Area 12 Agency on Aging, legal clinics with 30-minute consultations and financial counseling through Van Holzen Financial Services.

Colton emphasized the role of volunteers: the center relies on more than 300 volunteers, including Meals on Wheels drivers and congregate-site helpers, and reorganized volunteer efforts three years ago to treat volunteerism as a program with training, scheduling and document-security procedures. “We have over 300 volunteers that make all these things possible,” he said. He also described research linking social connection and volunteering to better physical and mental health and said structured volunteering of about four hours per week (roughly 200 hours per year) produced the strongest benefits according to the studies he cited.

The program also offers medical transport for Amador County residents, a pet-support component that can deliver a pet meal and treat along with a client’s meal, and a Google Calendar on the center’s website that lists workshops and updated schedules.

Colton provided contact information and online resources for viewers and callers. “People looking for the resource of the center can go to our website, it's very very simple, amadorseniorcenter.org,” he said, and gave the center phone number as (209) 223-0442.

The broadcast included host Susan Thomasett, who asked questions and shared brief observations during the interview; her remarks are identified where quoted. Few policy or contractual details beyond the Calaveras Meals on Wheels contract date and participant eligibility rules were provided during the conversation.

The center’s descriptions reflect services and examples recounted on the program; no formal board actions or votes were reported during the broadcast.