Age Spots by Jackie Dover: What a Meal, What a Deal
If you ask my kid’s what their Grandma does best, one of the first things they will, say is she is a great cook. She always makes them whatever they want and it is always amazing. Food for many people is about more than nourishment for the body. It can be a way to share love, to share culture to comfort and show appreciation.
According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), 5.2 million seniors face hunger in America. The cause of food instability can have many causes. Record inflation has caused the cost of food and other necessities to go up. Seniors living on a fixed income have difficulty keeping up with these increased costs and are making devastating choices between food, medicine or other bills. The physical health of a senior can contribute to hunger. Many illnesses and their treatments cause physical issues such as pain, fatigue and lack of appetite. Some seniors lack the ability to shop or order healthy, nutritious food. All of these issues can cause food insecurity that can lead to medical issues and depression.
Aging Matters strives to alleviate senior hunger. Aging Matters has 33 senior centers in our 18 county service area. These centers provide more than 1.4 million meals to Southeast Missouri. These meals are delicious and nutritious. The menus are designed by a registered dietician to be meet one third of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). During the COVID pandemic many of the centers had to close for congregate dining but all continued to deliver meals to those in need and the homebound.
With the dropping of COVID numbers, many centers are now open and resuming congregate dining and other activities. Research from NCOA shows that older adults who participate in senior center programs can learn to manage and delay the onset of chronic diseases and experience improvements in their physical, social, emotional and economic well-being. Centers today offer a wide variety of things to entertain seniors. With offerings such as educational presentations, exercise and dancing classes, quilting and crafts, puzzles, games and BINGO there is something for almost everyone. Now that most centers are open, seniors get the chance to meet with old friends and develop new friendships, while getting a good meal. I know from personal experience no food ever tasted as good as the meals my Grandma Grace made for us. When they say love was the secret ingredient, sometimes it was. However, I have had many meals at the different centers, they are really good, and the extras cannot be beat.
Contact your local center today, by phone or on the internet, to see what activities they offer that might interest you. Aging Matters has centers in the following communities:
Altenburg Bismarck Bonne Terre Campbell Cape Girardeau
Caruthersville Chaffee Charleston Dexter Doniphan
East Prairie Ellington Farmington Fredericktown Hayti
Jackson Kennett Malden Marble Hill Naylor
New Madrid Park Hills Perryville Poplar Bluff Portageville
Puxico Qulin Ste. Genevieve Scott City Signer Sikeston Van Buren Williamsville
If you are a senior or have questions about senio0r issues, please call Aging Matters 800-392-8771. Because….Aging Matters.
