Hunger Rising Among Rural Seniors

It is no secret that elderly population is finding it harder and harder to find not just nutritional meals but meals in general.  Elderly hunger is on the rise according to National Foundation to End Senior Hunger, Meals on Wheels Association of America indicate that seniors are at risk of hunger have evolved to include younger seniors and more seniors with incomes above the federal poverty line. Meals on Wheels is just one of the groups that helps with this in all 50 states, providing one million meals daily! Food backs also sponsor senior programs such as the Mobile Food Pantry Program. Sadly, these programs are the most effective in cities and suburban areas with high population density. This is because food assistance programs are very unevenly distributed across the country. Also, many seniors in rural communities tend to resist government assistance because they grew up poor and or they have made it through bad times before on their own and see their predicament as less serious. Most seniors that live out in rural areas lack the resources and even the health capacity (mobility issues) to get into town and access these services. In Ohio, there was a 37.6 percent increase in the number of seniors using food bank services once deliveries became available. Now West Ohio Good Bank delivers about 1,400 USDA sponsored food boxes every month. Overall food insecurity is bad for everyone, this is because most populations, not just the elderly, who have too little to eat are more likely to develop physical and social problems that require treatment. Meaning that if we choose to increase the nation's health, including all populations, healthcare cost and additional assistance programs would less likely be needed.