Food Security
Learn how big an issue food insecurity is for older adults.
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The Growing Challenge of Food Insecurity for Seniors in the U.S.
Food insecurity is a problem that impacts Americans young and old. In 2023, nearly 13% of adults age 50 to 59 and more than 9% of adults age 60 and older experienced food insecurity — an increase from prior years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) groups food insecurity into two categories: (1) low food security, defined as reduced quality, variety, or desirability of food, with little or...
Providing Home- and Community-Based Nutrition Services to Low-Income Older Adults: Promising Health Plan Practices
By Stephanie Gibbs*, Center for Health Care Strategies and Amy Herr, West Health Policy Center*Stephanie Gibbs was previously a senior program officer at the Center for Health Care Strategies.IN BRIEFState Medicaid agencies and Medicaid health plans increasingly recognize the importance of social support services, including nutritious food, as part of a holistic approach to addressing the needs of...
Safety Net Programs Don’t Keep Up with Older Adults’ Actual Costs of Living
The infographic below illustrates how the income eligibility limits for several major safety net programs compare with the actual cost of living for older adults. While these programs provide critical support for those with the lowest incomes, many older adults who are struggling financially fall outside eligibility thresholds and are unable to access assistance.Key Takeaways• The cost of living i...
Unmet Needs of Older Adults with Military-Based Healthcare Coverage
IntroductionThe veteran population is aging rapidly with higher rates of disability compared to non-veterans. The number of veterans age 85 and older is projected to increase by 38% from FY2019 to FY2039, and over 40% of veterans age 65 and older have at least one disability compared to 32% of their non-veteran peers. A large percentage of older adults over 50 have healthcare coverage through a m...
Food Assistance Cuts Threaten Older Adults' Health
Key Takeaways:52% of adults age 60+ in fair or poor health experience food insecurity. Older adults in poor health are significantly more vulnerable to running out of food and lacking the money to buy more.19% of adults have had to trade off food to pay for healthcare. Rising costs force many Americans into impossible choices that undermine both nutrition and health.84% of adults are somewhat or e...
Leveraging Home‐Delivered Meal Programs to Address Unmet Needs for At‐Risk Older Adults: Preliminary Data
AbstractBACKGROUNDHome‐delivered meal programs serve a predominantly homebound older adult population, characterized by multiple chronic conditions, functional limitations, and a variety of complex care needs, both medical and social.DESIGNA pilot study was designed to test the feasibility of leveraging routine meal‐delivery service in two home‐delivered meal programs to proactively identify chang...
Innovations in Malnutrition for California’s Seniors
Key Facts: MalnutritionUp to 1 out of 2 seniors are at risk for malnutrition.Estimated annual cost of disease- associated malnutrition in seniors is $51.3 billion.More than 300 percent of healthcare cost increases can be attributed to poor nutrition status in seniors.Senior malnutrition care can be improved through screening, assessment, diagnosis and intervention.The NeedWith California’s senior ...
Home and Community-Based Services for Seniors in Home-Based Primary Care
Nutritional services under Medicaid managed care are pivotal in addressing the health needs of low-income older adults, with innovative health plans integrating nutrition into broader healthcare frameworks to improve health outcomes and enhance cost-effectiveness. These plans employ tailored nutritional interventions, backed by data-driven assessments, significantly reducing hospital visits and im...
More Than a Meal Process Expansion
There is growing recognition that social factors can exacerbate health issues and impact health outcomes, leading to dramatically increased costs associated with healthcare utilization. As a result, the U.S. healthcare system is increasingly embracing the importance of identifying and acting on the social determinants of health (SDOH) – the social, economic and environmental factors that impact an...
Malnutrition Resources Toolkit
This toolkit was developed by West Health and the University of North Carolina to support ED staff in screening senior patients for food insecurity. Food insecurity is a key risk factor for malnutrition, a serious concern for older adults. The ED provides a unique opportunity to intervene with an extremely vulnerable segment of our older adult population. Screening patients is a chance to effect r...