According to a recent NPR article, malnourishment among seniors often goes undetected until they go to the emergency room seeking medical treatment for injuries or other reasons.
The article cites an August 12th Annals of Emergency Medicine (AEM) study, which found 60% of 138 seniors who visited an emergency room in 2013 were either at-risk for or experiencing malnutrition. NPR notes existing studies estimate six percent of seniors living independently are malnourished, with rates increasing up to 85% for those living in hospitals and long-term care facilities.
Seniors participating in the AEM study cited several reasons for under-eating, including depression, medical and dental issues, and difficulty buying groceries.
Study authors note the importance of identifying at-risk seniors so that they can be referred to local nutrition programs, such as Meals-on-Wheels or food pantries.
Feeding America, a nonprofit hunger-relief organization, designates seniors as the one of the most “food insecure” populations, as approximately one-third of recurrent food bank clients are age 60 or older.
