One In 8 Missouri Seniors Don't Have Enough To Eat, Report Finds
Food insecurity is affecting a significant number of seniors, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. A recently released report found 12% of Missouri seniors did not have consistent access to food in 2015.
Close to 170,000 older Missourians — or 1 in 8 of the state’s seniors — suffer from food insecurity. That’s when a person can’t safely access healthy food due to cost, lack of transportation or other factors. With seniors in already-vulnerable health, a lack of healthy food can cause new health conditions and make existing ones such as high blood pressure or diabetes more serious.
For people of all ages, the cost of food can be a barrier to accessing healthy nutrition. But seniors have to overcome additional hurdles to find groceries. Many are on fixed incomes and reliant on friends or relatives to drive them to the supermarket. Seniors often have health problems that can require expensive medications, the report notes.
“If income isn’t a barrier, you can still experience barriers due to a disabling condition, loss of the ability to drive, loss of a social network or family network,” said Michael Brewer, bureau chief for senior programs for the state health department’s Division of Senior and Disability Services.
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