Meals on Wheels provider Chorus Kitchen struggling to keep up with demand amid cost-of-living crisis

If it wasn’t for a routine Meals on Wheels delivery, 90-year-old Ron Griffiths may not be alive today.

After falling on his property during an intense hailstorm, and sheltering for around 24 hours, it was his food delivery driver who called for a welfare check.

“She rang the office to say that the dog was out [which was unusual],” Mr Griffiths said.

“They do this quite often with old folk because they might have had a stroke or a fall, some of them died.”

As many Australians struggle with a higher cost-of-living, Mr Griffiths is one of many who rely on the delivery service for cheap, reliable and nutritious meals.

Mr Griffiths is a client of Chorus Kitchen, a provider for Meals on Wheels WA which services the south metro area of Perth.

But the kitchen’s days could be numbered, with its entire complex slated for demolition to make way for an aged care centre — a service the organisation acknowledges is also desperately needed.

But Chorus has a conundrum. It can’t stay in the existing building, which is too small for the 2,500 meals they’re preparing every week, a number that has doubled in the past year.

It hasn’t found a new place big enough to accommodate them, despite the local council approving multiple lease extensions.

Difficult decisions ahead 

People Who Care is another organisation which provides in-home support services in Perth and is well aware of the impact the cost-of-living crisis is having on older West Australians.

“For older people, especially those who live on a pension, they live off that pension purse,” its CEO Penny Webb said.

“And something gives … when things become tight.”

She also highlighted the plight of older Australians waiting for home care packages, making it easier for them to access support which allows them to stay in their own homes. 

“It might be three months just to even be assessed for a home care package,” Ms Webb said.

“And then once you’re assessed and approved, it might be anywhere from six to nine months.

“That’s a long time in the life of an older person who might even be caring for someone themselves.”

WA Council of Social Services CEO Louise Giolitto said there needed to be more investment in the sector.

“The government should fund the real cost of services to ensure these critical services are available to all people across the state, when and where they need them,” she said.

The federal government recently announced a raft of changes to better support in-home care services.

They include grants for providers like Chorus. where operating costs exceed their revenue, but those won’t come into effect until mid-2027 at the earliest.

Vital service in need of help

The potential loss of Chorus Kitchen would be another blow to Meals on Wheels, which has seen volunteer shortages in New South Wales and a similar situation in Tasmania, with a service facing closure if it can’t find a new venue.

The WA branch says it needs to raise $50,000 by February to stay afloat or it soon may be forced to shut its doors.

Volunteer delivery driver Stephen Meagher said it’s more than just a meal.

“It provides social connection, which is hugely important,” he said.

“And also we do the welfare check. So everybody we deliver to, we just observe whether they’re feeling at the top of their game.

Ron’s daughter Fiona said the loss of the service would be devastating.

“And I’m sure a lot of other families would feel exactly the same way.”

Chorus Kitchen chef Myra Lydon said Chorus Kitchen hasn’t given up the fight.

“Everyone who works here really cares about the food that we make and the way that we support people,” Ms Lydon said.

“We’re looking for someone to help us to find an affordable industrial kitchen so we can continue to provide those meals for the people that we’re currently servicing, and also to increase our numbers.”

Loading