According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, the all food Consumer Price Index rose by 25 percent from 2019 to 2023. For senior citizens living on a fixed income. Additional research provided by the National Council on Aging reports 1 in 3 older adults aged 65+ are economically insecure with incomes below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).  The Elder Index and the Institute on Assets show millions more of older adults struggle to meet their monthly expenses even though they are not considered “poor” due to the fact they live above the FPL. In Kenton County, where 59% are below the FPL, the Family and Consumer Science agent addressed senior food insecurity and nutrition through a series of nutrition programs taught to older adults at Golden Tower and St. Aloysious Apartment complexes, Celebrations Villa retirement home, and the Elsmere Senior Center. A preliminary verbal survey of the participants at each location indicated a lack of motivation to prepare home cooked meals, a misperception that eating out was economical, an increase in processed food consumption, and fruit and vegetable consumption was less than two per day.

Fifty-four older adults were taught label reading, healthier eating habits, safe food storage, and food resource management practices (planning meals, comparing prices, and using grocery lists) at the listed facilities in 10 different sessions.

Participants learned the nutritional and economical value of preparing meals at home from scratch through “Cook the Calendar” sessions using recipes from “Plan.Eat.Move”. As a result of the classes that included sessions on reading food labels, discussing grocery ads, meal planning, and sampling simple nutritious recipes that were demonstrated, the elder adults reported the following:

56% began to utilize a grocery list while shopping

86% implemented at least one safe food storage tip that reduced food waste in their home

10 individuals tried at least one new fruit of vegetable

86 % utilize the one or more of the recipes shared in the sessions

66% have applied the nutrition information they learned to increase fruit and vegetable consumption.

Nutrition education series for the senior population throughout Kenton County will be expanded to include audiences in communities that have not been served in recent years.