Service Coordinators at Meals on Wheels of Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky work directly with older adults in senior living communities. They are members of the Social & Protective Services team and perform a variety of daily tasks that support seniors' independence and overall well-being.
No two days look exactly alike for a service coordinator with Meals on Wheels. On Monday, they might be assisting an older adult with their Medicaid renewal paperwork. On Tuesday, they could be scheduling transportation for a group outing and helping a resident connect their phone to WiFi. On Wednesday, they may be a listening ear for a senior who simply needs to talk.
Service coordinators are members of Meals on Wheels’ Social & Protective Services team and work directly with residents of independent senior living communities. Brett Constable is one such team member. He has been at his post for 11 years at Booth Residence in Finneytown, where residents have dubbed him “Mr. Fix-it.”
“You have to be a sort of jack-of-all-trades,” Brett says, when asked how he would describe his role.
Brett is there to field questions, concerns and requests residents have about anything affecting their daily life. He helps them sort their mail, gives walkers and canes quick tune-ups when needed and checks up on residents he may not have seen for a few days. He earned his affectionate nickname, “Mr. Fix-it,” by doing exactly that.
Service coordinators’ work is about far more than making residents comfortable—they provide an essential support system that makes it possible for them to age well with independence.
“He’s a good one,” one of the residents at Booth says about Brett when he joined them for lunch one day. “We’re really lucky he’s here.”
“One of the best parts about the job is how much the residents appreciate you. Everyone is kind, and as long as they see you trying, they appreciate it,” says Brett.
Meals on Wheels employs service coordinators at three residences in Cincinnati. Many of the seniors there also receive home-delivered meals or are enrolled in our congregate meal program. Many participate in our Digital Connect training and our Health & Wellness Programs as well. It’s an organic alignment that comprehensively promotes seniors’ well-being.
“There are many benefits of our service coordinators working in the same building as older adults. We can get them connected to Meals on Wheels services if they need them, and if we don’t have the solution a senior needs, we are well-equipped with a regional network of resources to get them what they need,” explains Meals on Wheels Chief Operations Officer Connie Baker.
She adds, “These services make up the ‘much more than a meal’ aspect of our organization.”
Our Social & Protective Services team includes licensed social workers who response to seniors' safety and well-being. They provide essential support to seniors and work with families, caregivers and care managers to ensure they have their basic needs met. Read more about our Social & Protective Services.