Meals on wheels under threat as more councils drop service due to cuts
This article reflects a bad news story for old people in rural areas. It tells us:
Fewer than half of councils are still providing a meals on wheels service after six years of spending cuts, new figures have revealed.
Just two years ago, two thirds of councils were offering a daily hot meal to help support older and disabled people in their own homes – an idea first put into practice more than 70 years ago.
The service is not protected by law, however, and is being dropped by growing numbers of authorities forced to focus only on their statutory responsibilities. Advocates for meals on wheels, however, say the trend is a false economy because it runs counter to the aim of keeping people living independently and out of hospital or costly residential care.