The first things you notice about Mamie Powe is her warm, welcoming spirit, her quick wit, and how she doesn't let her age or slight hearing loss get in the way of either. She has been living in her current residence "forever," and wouldn't have it any other way. Her daughter, Emmia Brown, lives just down the street and her dog Coco can often be found sun-bathing outside.
Mamie isn't as mobile as she used to be and suffers from some of the common ailments that plague many elders. As such, it is not as easy as it once was to do basic cooking tasks like boil a pot of noodles or grill some chicken. Thankfully, she has been enrolled in the Council on Aging of West Florida's Meals on Wheels program for about three years. She has come to rely on the ready-made microwaveable meals for a majority of her sustenance.
"I especially like the chicken, spaghetti and greens," said Mamie. "I get six meals a week and it's easy to just warm them up and eat."
Mamie is homebound, and before Meals on Wheels, she relied on Emmia to cook food almost daily, a task that added to her daughter's already busy schedule of transporting her to and from doctor's appointments, church, and other community activities. Other friends and family would also help out occasionally, but Meals on Wheels has provided a consistency to Mamie and Emmia's life that relieves a lot of stress and concern.
"I stay pretty busy taking care of her," said Emmia, who actually used to work at the Council on Aging about 20 years ago. "Meals on Wheels has helped a lot and made it easier on me."
Emmia said that she has been more than pleased with the service for her mother. She now has time to make breakfast in the mornings, something she loves doing. She also said that some of the Meals on Wheels portions are so large for her mother that there are leftovers for later meals.
Though she still needs help with other daily needs such as cleanup and keeping up with appointments, Mamie said that she feels better knowing that she doesn't have to worry about food.
"It has helped me a lot," said Mamie. After looking over at her daughter, she continued, "It's helped her a lot, too. I'm so glad I was told about the program. I really look forward to the food. More people should know about it."
2024 Council on Aging of West Florida
P.O. Box 17066
Pensacola, FL 32522
Phone: 850-432-1475
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