Mum not opening door to Meals on Wheels

[RoxytheRexy]

Hey just wondering if anyone has any ideas on what to do with my mum. Mum has chronic lung disease, short term memory problems and large doses of anxiety, confusion and paranoia. However also has moments of clarity and can at times (of her choosing) can appear perfectly well.

Mum has been having Meals on Wheels for about 6 months now as she just wasn’t eating. However Mum sometimes wasn’t opening the door. This has become more frequent this week. Or Mum has taken 20 minutes or so to open the door.

Meals on Wheels have suggested a Key Safe but Mum really doesn’t want one. And she can be really stubborn when she makes her mind up about something. It also wouldn’t solve her putting the chain on (something she does obsessively)

Is there such a thing as a ‘fake chain’ or an extra long one that we could fit? I’m aware this defeats the point of them

Is she capable of microwaving a meal?
My Grandad used to get meals delivered by a company with puddings and everything which they dropped off in a batch and could just be microwaved during the week. Would that be easier if she is capable as you would be able to have them delivered on a day you can be there.
I forget the name but my Dad would know and they were lovely.

Do you know exactly why she wouldn’t open the door? Is it not wanting anyone to come in? Is there space for table just inside the door?

Mum doesn’t like using the freezer and if she had meals delivered to be microwaved she would just choose not to eat. We used to get her an online shop every week but she started refusing that saying she didn’t want what was delivered.

Mum will say she has lost her keys or just. It hear the door. Or hear the door and ignore it as she doesn’t want it. There’s no space for a table by the door. It’s in front of the stairs and the stairlift takes up most of the hall

Does she have have an emergency alarm that she wears? You could try and persuade her that the keysafe would mean help could get to her. We found an arranged visit from some very nice firemen helped persuade dm.....

Unfortunately Mum refuses an emergency alarm and even unplugs the phone we put upstairs. Mum is quite a difficult personality really.

However she is pretty scared of authority so firemen might work. I’ll see if the local ones offer a safety check or something. Thank you

A visit from nice young men in uniform worked wonders with dm( anyone under 70 is young). They should offer this- free smoke alarms etc. Good luck- but you can only do so much. Good luck.