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Meals on Wheels, a nonprofit group that provides food for one of the most fragile segments of the population has just completed a new study that shows a huge spike in the number of senior citizens who are facing food insecurity and the threat of hunger in the United States. Nearly one in every seven seniors, a number that equals to just over eight million are likely to be hungry because they cannot afford adequate food. That number represents a nearly eighty percent increase since 2001 according to the study.
For the US as a whole, the risk for hunger, also called food insecurity, has decreased in the last three years, however, the number is still rising for certain groups, including those who are aged sixty to sixty nine years of age. People in that age group that make around thirty thousand dollars a year, which is well over the poverty level are at the highest risk of all.
The study found that there has been an increase in all but six states with the biggest increases coming in the South and the Southwestern portions of the country. The numbers in those six states either remained the same or decreased during the same period.
More than half of the people in this category who are at risk are women. Two minority groups, the African Americans and the Hispanics are at double the risk for food insecurities but their numbers have declined since 2008 as well.
There are roughly five thousand local branches of Meals on Wheels across the United States, serving more than one million meals to seniors in their homes as well as in senior centers. It is the oldest senior nutritional programs in the country and has been working with local programs since 1976 to help provide nutrition and nutritional counseling to senior citizens and those who care for them.
In addition to hot meals which are delivered in most locations during the week, the group often sends other foods that can be frozen and then reheated for the weekends as well as during times of emergencies whether they are weather or other types. Seniors may also rely on their Meals on Wheels driver as their only point of contact with the outside world for many days in a row, giving them someone to talk to or even to notice that they are not doing well. In addition to home based meals, some Meals on Wheels foods are served in senior centers and other community locations.
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My grandma was the president of the senior center. They did fund raisers including meals that they sold or crafts. They also had blood pressure days where they also sold food. There were a few of the people that they ran a "tab" for because everyone knew they could not afford to eat very well but would not take any kind of help. This was their way of helping those people without hurting their pride at all.
Aime scary but true. We treat our senior citizens like old surplus people just to be warehoused and forgotten. My 90 year old aunt was very ill for a while and went to 3 different nursing homes. She hated all three and told me never go there they are horrible. I don't want to be a burden to my kids, no nursing home for me I would rather be gone. Most of us except the mighty 1 percent don't have much to look forward to.
I know! It is so sad. The lady across the street from my grandma had no family at all- she had Meals on Wheels but hated them so Grandma always bought her stuff while she was out. When Grandma couldn't get out, she would have me cook something and take it over to this lady and "check" on her. There are so many seniors who are sitting around alone, with no one but Meals on Wheels to check on them. That's why I announced that I will not get old. That's just it. Not doing it. Not getting old, ever.
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