Home Delivered Meals

So, since I wasn't going home this summer I decided to do some volunteering which I haven't done in awhile it seems like.  We got an email at school from this local organization asking for any teacher volunteers so I took the bait.  A couple days a week I go to this place, pick up the meals, and they give me my route for the day.  Typically I always have the same route on Tuesdays, sometimes it's a different one on Wednesdays.  Usually I have about 6-8 stops.  All of the clients are seniors, and maybe a handful with disabilities, who either can't leave their homes to drive, shouldn't be cooking, just don't want to cook, whatever the reason.  Some of them just had operations or something like that.  They are always so appreciative of the service & have been really wonderful to get to know.  I have some favorites, I know you shouldn't :)  I have one who always likes to update me on her recent doctor's appointments and the progress of her illness.  Another who is 94 and still living on her own.  Recently she's been having some falls and tells me she's been sleeping more, and that she just wants to go in her sleep, so I'm not gonna lie, every time I go to her house I'm worried about what I will find.  I have another client with dementia.  We already know that there's always a possibility she won't be home, she has a tendency to walk around the neighborhood *so dangerous!*  But she has notes all over the house "Don't do this, do that, etc".  Every time I pull up she says "Oh I can't pay you,"  I tell her she doesn't have to and I take the food in.  She's always so surprised that someone is bringing her food.  The first time I came in there was a loud whistling coming from the kitchen.  So I get in there and she goes "oh what's that noise?"  I tell her I think she has made some tea so she moves it, and I remind her to turn the stove off; so scary to think what if I didn't come that day??  When we drop off the food they have to initial that they received it...she didn't know her initials.  So now I tell her what letters to write from the get-go.  And I always tell her "Lock this door when I leave!"  Obviously the point is to get them their food but it's as volunteers we are also to be aware of what's going on---is the a/c on and working?  Have they been eating?  So far so good.  It's been fun and not only that, it gets me up & moving on summer days where who knows how much time I could have wasted...! This week is my last week delivering so I think I might let a couple of them know I might swing by sometime just to say hi, I'll miss 'em!