Sharon is a regular attendee at the Center for Seniors in Neosho, which provides activities, hot lunches and more for older adults in Newton County. It’s a hub of resources and, for Sharon, hope.
When times are tough and budgets are tight, nutritious food is often the first thing households sacrifice to make ends meet. But when someone can only afford food with low nutritional value, it can impact their health over time – especially for children and older adults. That’s why Ozarks Food Harvest is piloting a Food is Medicine approach to help seniors maintain a balanced diet.
Currently, one-third of the people served by Ozarks Food Harvest’s network of hunger-relief charities are 65 or older. Many of these seniors live on fixed incomes that limit their access to basic necessities like food.
As adults over age 65 become one of the largest groups served by Ozarks Food Harvest’s hunger-relief network, we’ve made it a priority to ensure they have the food they need – the same way caretaker Bobbi prioritizes the well-being of her client, 87-year-old Charlotte.
Six-year-old Harley lives with her grandparents full-time while her parents figure out a stable place to live. Together, she and her grandparents color, make bead bracelets and play in the yard when the weather is nice. Harley’s grandmother Glenda says they love having Harley around, but raising – and feeding – a grandchild during retirement comes with challenges.
Access to nutritious and healthy food changes lives.
Kaela Anderson, Regional Lead and Administrator at Ozark County Senior Center, received an email a few years ago introducing her to a gentleman on hospice that had been approved for home delivered meals. He was on oxygen 24/7, and had decreased mobility that prevented him from walking even short distances without having to stop. In addition, he wasn’t getting proper nutrition, which left him underweight.
“Seniors are my favorite. They have so much wisdom and good advice.” That’s coming from Joy Pace, SeniorAge center lead at the West Plains Senior Center. “They’ve lived their life and they deserve the respect. They deserve to be taken care of, but sometimes they get forgotten.”
Right here in southwest Missouri, there are thousands of seniors living on fixed incomes who can’t always access nutritious meals. Good nutrition is important at all stages of life, but it’s particularly impactful for adults over age 60. With inflation rising in recent years, Ozarks Food Harvest has taken a closer look at how we can help our elderly neighbors access the food they need to thrive.
When is the last time you tasted a cucumber? What about an orange or an apple? For one home-bound Lamar senior, she couldn’t remember the last time she had tasted fresh produce. After a mistake with her normal home-bound delivery service, she travelled to the senior center one Friday afternoon to get food.
Before the COVID-19 crisis, Mike believed people only cared about you if they wanted something from you. Even when he was short on food and needed help, he wouldn’t ask for it. But during the pandemic, Mike was moved to help his community. He heard about Crosslines and decided to drop off a donation – a decision that led him to comradery, and of course food, that helped him thrive.