Lynn spent 30 years working as a psychotherapist, first in an outpatient hospital and later in private practice, listening to and supporting people in her community.  

She was proud of the warm and welcoming office atmosphere she created for her patients. Meals on Wheels was one of the programs she recommended when someone needed additional support. She never imagined that she would one day need the program herself. 

 When COVID-19 arrived, Lynn’s life changed almost all at once. The building where she maintained her private practice closed, its owners retired, and Lynn was forced into retirement earlier than she had planned. Around the same time, she lost access to a reliable car, leaving her increasingly unable to leave her Gorham home.  

“I lost my office, my career, and my car all at once,” Lynn said.  

After 30 years of meeting with patients each day, the sudden end of Lynn’s career also took away the routine, purpose, and regular contact that had shaped so much of her life.  

Before the pandemic, Lynn belonged to several book groups, took stained-glass and line-dancing classes, ushered at plays at Merrill Auditorium, and formed friendships through the activities she loved. Without reliable transportation, she could no longer participate. 

 “The trauma of losing my job and my contact with other people was incredibly difficult,” she said. “Without a car, I slowly became more isolated and unable to leave my home.” 

 Changes to Lynn’s health and memory also made daily tasks difficult. Living on a limited income, she struggled to afford heat, prescriptions, and enough food.  

“My doctor didn’t think I was getting enough to eat, so she recommended Southern Maine Agency on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program,” Lynn recalled. “I receive food from the food pantry, but I also needed consistent meals.”  

At 83, Lynn likes to point out that she and Meals on Wheels share a birth year: 1943. Now, the program she once recommended to her patients is helping her remain nourished and connected in her own home. 

“I can’t tell you what a relief it is to know I’ll have something for dinner every night. I love that the meals have good sources of protein and generous servings of vegetables,” she said. “I was undernourished, and Southern Maine Agency on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program helped improve my health immensely. I feel food security now. The convenience of heating the meals in the microwave also takes the pressure off preparing food.”  

Lynn also appreciates the care that goes into making holidays and changing seasons feel special. Meals on Wheels provides the familiar foods people expect at Thanksgiving and during the winter holidays, along with smaller seasonal touches, such as the chocolate bunny Lynn once received in the spring.  

“If you aren’t going to see anyone on those days, the holiday meals are really a treat,” she said. “Even the little seasonal surprises help people feel connected to the outside world. Southern Maine Agency on Aging deserves a lot of credit for that.”  

The deliveries have also brought regular companionship back into Lynn’s life. She appreciates her volunteers, Susan and Cheryl. Lynn is their final stop, which gives the three women a little extra time to talk at her door. “We have the gift of sharing some of the same interests, so I look forward to our check-ins. Susan and Cheryl are the only people I see all week. I know that every Thursday, if something is wrong and I don’t answer the door, they will try to call me and make sure I’m okay. I am blessed to have them.” 

 They arrive with the meals Lynn depends upon, but they also take the time to ask how she is doing. Their visits give her two familiar faces to look forward to and the reassurance that someone will continue to check in.  

Lynn understood professionally how the loss of a job, declining health, financial hardship, or isolation could alter the course of someone’s life. She simply never expected so many of those challenges to enter her own life in such rapid succession. 

Meals on Wheels has helped Lynn regain her health and given her the security of knowing she will have dinner each night. Through her visits with Susan and Cheryl, it has also restored some of the connection she lost when she became homebound. 

 “I am incredibly grateful,” Lynn said. “Southern Maine Agency on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program has made such a difference in my life.”