Elder Hunger and Nutrition

As people age, they often have changing nutritional needs.  Health conditions and certain medications may require a change in diet.  Often, people start to lose their sense of smell, sense of taste, ability to chew, or their appetite in general, making eating less appealing.  Transportation restrictions can make it more difficult to acquire food, and Elders living on a fixed income may no longer be able to afford the food they need.  Additionally, as people age, their caloric requirements go down, but their nutrient needs stay the same or increase, making it even more important to consume nutrient-dense foods.  Unfortunately, such healthful foods are not always the most accessible for Elders, so there are many programs that work to make sure the Elders in our communities are eating well on a regular basis.

 

Meals on Wheels delivers meals to Elders who for whatever reason cannot get the food they need for themselves.  They hope to end senior hunger in America by 2020.  Meals on Wheels has been a leader in researching senior hunger.  Check out some of their findings here.

One of the primary reasons Elders stop eating well as they age is a dislike of eating alone.  For that reason, congregate meal sites are especially important because they bring Elders together for a nutritious meal in a social atmosphere.  We will be working with several organizations that provide these services during FYSOP, including Café Emmanuel and Ethos.

In recent years, the government has increased their efforts to educate the public about healthy eating through the MyPyramid and MyPlate programs.  However, these resources do not accommodate the special needs of seniors.  Tufts University has created and published a special pyramid for elders that takes the unique needs of the aging population into account.  Check it out here.