County aging planners warn long waits for Meals on Wheels and in‑home care; ask commissioners for more state funding
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Summary
PTRC aging planners told Rockingham County commissioners that block‑grant funding and senior‑center dollars are not keeping pace with demand; home‑delivered meal waitlists and in‑home service waits stretch months to years, and volunteer shortages limit delivery capacity.
Bob Cleveland, planning committee chair with the area agency on aging (PTRC), told county commissioners the region’s older‑adult population is growing and that several services face capacity shortfalls. He said about 192 people currently receive home‑delivered meals while roughly 173 remain waiting; average waits for meal delivery are about 18–24 months, and some in‑home service waitlists had previously spanned multiple years. Cleveland said those waits increase the risk that people will be hospitalized or enter long‑term care sooner.
Kathy Powers, who runs adult disability and transportation services, told the board volunteer recruitment remains a limiting factor; adding capacity to take people off waiting lists would require roughly 10 additional delivery routes and an estimated 120 volunteers. Commissioners discussed including additional operating requests in the upcoming county budget cycle and encouraged staff to include those needs in formal budget materials.
Cleveland asked commissioners to press state lawmakers to increase the aging block grant and the senior‑center general‑purpose fund, which he said has not increased materially in decades and is insufficient for current needs. Pam Drews and other caregivers described how respite and family‑care supports prevented more intensive care needs for their relatives.
What’s next: Commissioners requested staff and the presenters provide budgetary requests and volunteer recruitment options ahead of the county budget process; presenters said they will return with specific funding figures and staffing/volunteer scenarios.
