Walworth County staff informed the Health and Human Services Board on May 21 that Lakeland Healthcare Center (LHCC) will close its kitchen for up to two weeks because of construction. County Aging and Disability Resource Center staff will coordinate meal preparation and delivery during the closure.

Chetney Blazek, supervisor of aging services and nutrition, explained that ADRC staff will prepare and assemble meals at the government center and will continue to order food from the usual vendors. "The LHCC kitchen and staff will not be cooking meals for either the home delivered or the congregate meal participants. That's gonna be handled by our ADRC staff," Blazek said.

Staff described shelf‑stable meal boxes that contain multiple entrées and can be stored and heated at home. Deliveries of boxed meals will occur on Mondays so participants receive several meals covering each week of the closure. Staff also said home‑delivered meal routes will continue and that volunteers will be asked only to deliver meals (not prepare them); staff will contact volunteers about schedule changes.

ADRC staff emphasized continued participant contact: in addition to meal delivery, staff will make daily welfare check calls to home‑delivered meal recipients during the kitchen closure. The board asked about wait lists for meal service; staff reported the current wait list had fallen to three people after additional county funding and program changes.

Ending: The board received the report; staff said meal continuity, volunteer coordination and welfare checks will remain in place through the temporary closure.