The Humana Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. for the past 44 years, has announced the publication of its new issue brief, Senior Food Insecurity in Kentucky: A Growing Public Health Challenge.
The document examines the complex web of challenges the state’s older adults face in accessing nutritious foods and offers a call to action with recommended investments that can help overcome those barriers.
According to their findings, Kentucky ranks 46th among all states in overall senior health status. Food insecurity among Kentucky’s 65-and-older population is on the rise. It currently stands at 12.0 percent, surpassing the national average of 9.2 percent. About one in five seniors in the state has type 2 diabetes, and a similar number report having been diagnosed with depression; both conditions are often associated with food insecurity.
The research also points to the strong relationship between food insecurity and the mental health of seniors. Loneliness and lack of social support are also significantly associated with higher odds of being food insecure.
“Nutritious food is foundational to good health, especially for older adults,” said Danielle Neveles-McGrath, Chief Impact Officer of the Humana Foundation and co-author of the issue brief. “But far too many Kentucky seniors are struggling to access that basic human necessity due to a myriad of factors, including mobility and transportation challenges, geographic and social isolation, limited income, and obstacles preventing them from applying for food assistance. At the same time, more support for community-driven solutions that center seniors’ voices, scale existing resources and invest in breaking down access barriers is urgently needed.”
In a call to action, the issue brief identifies needed investments:
- Fund and scale community-driven programs that center seniors’ voices and address both nutrition and social connection.
- Invest in senior Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outreach and enrollment. Currently, only 18.5 percent of eligible Kentucky seniors are enrolled in SNAP.
- Foster Cross-Sector collaboration by joining or investing in coalitions across healthcare, aging, agriculture, and philanthropy to build a resilient, equitable and sustainable “senior food ecosystem.”
- Support research and evaluation by funding county-level studies on senior food insecurity with best practices that improve nutrition, emotional well-being and social connections.
To read the full issue brief, click here.
By Tom Latek, Kentucky Today
