She has been their a month and hasn't had any real meat. Is there some way she can get help to stop paying for meals she cant eat. I'm her daughter and when I complained about the meals on the weekend as they are in takeaway containers there was boiled cabbage baked potato and chicken it smelt horrible and looked just as bad when I said she wasn't to charge my mother for the weekend meal as they were inedible she told me to go away then made a speech at lunch time about a womans irrate daughter complaining about all the food being squashed into one takeaway container then she went and saw my mother and offered to take $10.00 off if she didn't get the weekend meals I think that is an insult as she pays $82.00 I threatened to go the council if she gave her another meal like that that's when she told me to go away a returned soldier cant eat her meals he never gets any but still has to pay he gets meals on wheels and has to pay for that as well can something be done about this as she feels there is nothing wrong with squashing potato boiled cabbage and chicken in the same container if you could help or tell me who could help it would benefit everyone living
Concerned daughter my mother is a very good cook and is more than capable of doing it for herself
Did you actually see the plate of food and taste it? I think I would confirm there is a real issue before I cancelled the plan. Most seniors who live alone are not keen on actually preparing their own nutritious meals, even though they say the will. Having one delivered that is hot and fresh makes much more sense, IMO. I think I would encourage mom to try the meals for at least a couple of months.
And for what your mother pays for food, you might even be able to arrange with a local restaurant to prepare several meals and deliver them.
You could also contact the local Area Agency on Aging and find out what entity handles Meals on Wheels. I don't know if they deliver to independent living facilities but it's worth a try.
Another option, which isn't the best but could be workable, is to stop the facility meals and supply your mother with frozen home cooked meals or good quality purchased meals which she can heat up in a microwave.
I'm not familiar with the short or long term arrangements but if your mother isn't getting good food and isn't happy, maybe it's time to look elsewhere.
I don't understand if the problem is that the food is improperly prepared, or if it's food that mom doesn't like, or if it's in a state she has trouble with (she needs it shredded or something). Boiled cabbage does smell horrible. But our elders usually have decreased sense of smell and don't object to the smell of cabbage.
Are the meals ok during the week, it's just on the weekends that they have pre-made meals that you and your mother find objectionable? I still think maybe, while she's capable, she should just take care of her own meals. Perhaps even frozen dinners that she can heat up, either homemade and frozen in Foodsaver bags, or purchased.
P.S. chicken is real meat. Do you mean to say in one month's time she hasn't had beef? Is that what you are referring to as real meat?