Sometimes elderly people need foodbanks too

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An elderly lady was referred to foodbank by a medical team in Edinburgh when they realised she was struggling to provide food for herself and was severely underweight.

“Leah* had experienced a close bereavement in traumatic circumstances,” says Miriam Montgomery who manages Blythswood’s SE Edinburgh Foodbank.

“She was too frail to collect her food parcel.

“We spent time with her on the phone, and worked with her to figure out exactly what she was able to eat. She cannot use a tin opener due to her lack of strength so we ensured that all the tins we gave her had ring pulls.

“She loves chocolate too, and we have plenty of that at this time of year, so we were able to give her some extras.

“Leah has a much-loved dog. Thanks to our partnership with the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home we were able to provide food for her pet, too.

“We then delivered the parcel to Leah at home, giving us the chance to speak with her in person. She was hugely grateful.”

*Not her real name