How the pandemic made seniors more food-insecure than ever
that seniors face due to food insecurity.
Food-insecure seniors were more likely
to have depression (262%), asthma (78%),
diabetes (74%) and congestive heart failure
(71%), further adding to their health
Across New York, older adults are often
overlooked as one of our city’s most
vulnerable groups, causing needed programs
to be underfunded, meaning older
New Yorkers don’t get the resources they
need.
Since the onset of COVID, the economic
fallout and lack of federal financial
response, funding shortages have been
seen across the board in different sectors
among the nonprofit community. This is
especially evident in food pantries, soup
kitchens and mobile pantries. They have
had the biggest blow with 35% of their
doors closing after the pandemic hit.
New York must be a city that enables
older adults to age with dignity and
purpose. That means long-term investment
in programs that feed our seniors
and most vulnerable, like Citymeals on
Wheels, Food Bank for NYC, NYC Foundation
for Senior Citizens, Encore Community
Services, NY Common Pantry
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TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | DEC. 3 - DEC. 9, 2021 13
OP-ED
BY TANIA COLLAZO
The holiday season is often a time for
generations of families to come together,
eat their favorite family meals and
spend some quality time together. But
for many, this time of year is a painful
reminder of the isolation they face and
the food insecurity they struggle with.
In fact, one in eight older New Yorkers
are unsure where their next meal will
come from.
The pandemic shined a light on the
reality of senior isolation, many of whom
also face a lack of regular access to food.
We can and must do more as a society
to fight this pervasive issue, especially
around the holidays.
Food insecurity is a growing issue in
New York and the United States that particularly
afflicts low-income individuals
and seniors. Across the US, 7.3 million
older adults are struggling with reliable
access to nutritious food. Older adults
of color, as well as older adults with disabilities,
are three times as likely to be
food-insecure.
There is a proven array of negative
physical and mental health outcomes
struggles.
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and more.
The pandemic has only heightened
the urgency to act. Already facing food
insecurity and isolation, the pandemic
exacerbated both. Older adults who were
already homebound received even fewer
visitors and less access to both their community
and the support of the outside
world. For many who were previously
able to support themselves, the pandemic
made it dangerous to leave their homes
to acquire food, leaving them dependent
on others.
To help address this issue among
older adults in NYC, JASA, the go-to
agency serving older adults in NYC, has
established programming that provides
home-delivered meals to its residents.
Through this program, JASA provided
over 1 million meals to New York seniors
last year alone.
The number and operation itself is
staggering and saves lives. But while
food delivery workers have always been
trained to monitor for signs of issues and
when to call 911, JASA’s delivery team
has taken on a more pronounced role of
checking in and being the wellness lifeline
for many older adults, for whom the
JASA staff are the only people they’ll interact
with in person.
For seniors who couldn’t and still
can’t leave their homes due to the pandemic,
the nutritious meals and the delivery
staff provide a bridge to the outside
world. The food provides them with
the nutrients to survive, while the staff
provides them an opportunity — sometimes
the only chance in their day — to
converse with someone. This isn’t just a
chat to break up the day, but it also supports
their mental health and gives the
staff a chance to ensure the older adults
are safe and healthy by observing any
potential signs of need.
This holiday season, we must not
forget those isolated in their homes. Everyone
can step up in helping our most
vulnerable neighbors. Whether it is donating
food directly or supporting meals
programs, or just checking in on older
New Yorkers, we can make sure this holiday
season, everyone is connected and
no one goes hungry.
Tania Collazo is director of the Queens
Home Delivered Meals Program and chef
supervisor at JASA.
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