The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
HUNGER A PROBLEM FOR MANY SENIOR CITIZENS
5 million seniors citizens currently deal with hunger in the U.S.
“Across the country, the demographic is one in six seniors struggles with hunger.” — Nancy Niehus, director of community service at Lake County Council on Aging
Imagine living on a fixed income and having to choose between paying utility bills, rent, buying medication or eating.
For many senior citizens that is the normal part of daily life.
Food insecurity is on the rise as many American seniors on fixed incomes opt for the necessities of rent, utilities and medications over food.
Nearly 5 million seniors citizens currently deal with hunger in the U.S., according to Feedingamerica.org.
Meals on Wheels America reports that 6.9 million seniors live in poverty with an income of less than $228 a week, of which, they have to pay all their living expenses.
“After a lifetime of hard work, 63 percent of the households with older adults (50+) that Feeding America serves find themselves facing an impossible choice — to buy groceries or medical care. And as the baby-boom generation ages, the number of seniors facing hunger is only expected to increase,” Feeding America reports.
According to Nancy Niehus, director of community service at Lake County Council on Aging, they don’t really have a number on how many seniors are going hungry in Lake
County. They take their information from Meals on Wheels America.
“Across the country, the demographic is one in six seniors struggles with hunger,” Niehus said.
The senior populations across the nation is growing at a fast rate, which is leading to more and more American seniors at risk for both hunger and isolation, according to Meals on Wheels America.
One in five Americans is age 60 or older, and there are 12,000 more turning 60 every day. The current senior population of 58 million is expected to nearly double to 114 million by 2060.
Of the 58 million seniors in the U.S. today nearly 9 million of them face the threat of hunger, according to Meals on Wheels America.
In Lake County, volunteers like Debbie Alecci of Mentor are trying to help make sure area seniors have food to eat. Alecci is a driver who delivers meals to seniors through the Lake County Meals on Wheels program.
Alecci, a senior herself and a former social worker, is aware of the issues. Many times when delivering meals, Alecci can tell just by living conditions if a senior has enough funds for food.
The Meals on Wheels program in Lake County has served or delivered 175,000 meals to 1,500 clients in Lake County this year, as of Nov. 14.
Meals on Wheels America also report that seniors waiting to receive its services are more likely to report fair or poor health, not have enough money to buy food, experienced
recent falls that limit ability to stay active, screen postive for depression, require assistance with shopping for groceries and preparing food and take three or more medications a day.
Alecci realizes that it’s more than just hunger for the seniors she sees. There is also an issue of loneliness as a result of isolation.
“Sometimes this is the only contact these people have throughout the entire day. A lot of them are home-bound.” Alecci said. “Some of them aren’t, but those who are don’t have any contact with any other living real people unless it’s us. Sometimes it’s family but that can be sporadic. One of us (Meals on Wheels volunteers) comes in once a day, five days a week and it makes a difference sometimes.”
Niehus agreed and echoed Alecci, when she said it’s not just the meal but definitely an effort to combat the isolation they face.
“Studies have shown that the effects of being socially secluded and isolated are almost as severe as a chronic illness,” Niehus said. “It’s very detrimental on your health to be isolated and alone.”
In addition to the Meals on Wheels of Lake County, LCCOA utilizes the food pantries to help clients that call up and say they are short on food, according to Bernie Brooks, the social work department manager LCCOA.
“This meal (delivered by Meals on Wheels) is obviously one meal a day,” Brooks said. “They still need to eat the rest of the time so, we utilize food banks and during the summer we get produce from St. Mary’s in Painesville and actually some of the senior centers now are doing some fresh produce.”
Brooks recognizes that can be a problem for some, as some of the seniors they serve are unable to prepare the foods.
“So you might have the fresh cauliflower and squash but they are physically unable to prepare...,” Brooks said. They may have food but they are unable to prepare because of their physical disabilities. Many are unstable on their feet they are not able to stand for long periods of time to prepare food.”
Niehus notes that for many there are eyesight issues. Some seniors are unable to see well enough to use a knife and some of them may have some kind of compromised mental capacity that results in it being unsafe for them to use the stove. In some instances families have disabled their stoves so that they can’t use them. This leaves them with just a microwave or something they can’t set the house on fire with.
The LCCOA also has access to emergency funds through United Way and Giant Eagle cards to help out the area seniors
“If there ever is a food shortage and we need to run out and get them something, even if its milk or bread or things of that sort, we are able to go out and purchase it for them,” Brooks said.
“We maintain our own pantry to for emergencies and maybe for new clients who need something right away before we can get them on the roll,” Niehus said.
For additional information on Senior Hunger or Meals on Wheels Lake County, visit Lake County Council on Aging at 8520 East Ave. in Mentor, online at www. lccoa.org or call 440-2058111.