Poor health can be both a cause and a consequence of food insecurity for seniors aged 60 and older. For example, disability and disease contribute to employment instability and income challenges. Additionally, inadequate nutrition can increase the negative effects of disabilities and chronic health conditions.

 

After a lifetime of hard work, seniors whose fixed incomes have not kept pace with rising prices are increasingly at risk of hunger. Across Northwest North Carolina, seniors are having to make hard choices between using their incomes for food, or for medicine. 

 

A new report released in 2022 looking at 2020 data, found that:
 

• 1 in 11 seniors age 60 and older, or 8.7% of the senior population, were food insecure in 2022.
   

• The size of the senior population is approximately 79 million and 8.7%, or 6.9 million, experienced food insecurity. Consistent with reports from the USDA about food insecurity rising in 2022 for most populations, this represents an increase for seniors compared to 2021.
   

• 1 in 8 adults age 50 to 59, or 11.9% of the older adult population, were food insecure in 2022.
   

• There are approximately 41 million adults age 50-59 in the U.S. and 11.9%, or 4.9 million, were food insecure in 2022. Consistent with reports from the USDA about food insecurity rising in 2022 for most populations, this represents an increase for this age cohort compared to 2021.
   

• Every state is home to seniors and older adults who experience food insecurity.
   

• The majority of states with the highest food insecurity rates in 2022 for seniors and older adults are located in the South.
   

• More than 9 million seniors may be food insecure by 2050.
   

• By 2050, it is projected that the senior population will comprise around 104 million people age 60 and older. If the current rate of food insecurity among seniors does not change, this would equate to more than 9 million seniors experiencing food insecurity. With food insecurity impacting a variety of factors such as health and nutrition, and as the senior population continues to grow in size, food insecurity is likely to remain a public health challenge for years to come.

• Disability is strongly associated with food insecurity among aging adults

• Food insecurity has negative effects for individuals across the age spectrum. For seniors and older adults, these effects can be particularly problematic given the unique health, economic, mobility and nutritional challenges that can come with aging.
   

• Having a disability is strongly associated with food insecurity. Seniors with a disability had food insecurity rates over twice as high as seniors without disabilities (15.3% compared to 6.5%). For older adults, the disparity is even greater. Older adults with disabilities had food insecurity rates more than three times as high as older adults without disabilities (31.2% compared to 9.3%).
   

Showing Up for Seniors

 

Our community-based partner food assistance network is a lifeline of support for an increasing number of seniors. As well, because we know that many seniors who are eligible to receive Food and Nutrition Services (Food Stamps) are not, we place special emphasis on reaching seniors through our outreach efforts.