Too many of Kentucky’s senior citizens are going hungry. Here’s what we can do | Opinion

In Kentucky, too many of our seniors are struggling with food insecurity. And, amid a rapidly changing federal funding environment, seniors are further unable to meet their daily food needs.

Even before changes were made to federal food programs, approximately one in seven adults 65 and older in our state is unable to regularly access nutritious foods.

Food insecurity among seniors is closely linked to Kentucky’s most persistent health challenges. The state ranks 46th in overall senior health status, with older Kentuckians facing higher-than-average rates of obesity (33.7%), high blood pressure (24%), and chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Diabetes especially impacts the African American population with higher mortality rates. Poor mental health is also prevalent among the state’s seniors, with one-in-five older adults diagnosed with a depressive disorder.

These health conditions may be caused or exacerbated by poor nutrition, with food insecurity resulting in worse health outcomes that disproportionately affect seniors in both urban and rural communities.

Recent research by the Humana Foundation looks beyond current challenges to examine the causes of senior food insecurity and the existing resources available and investments needed to address the issue. The issue brief, “Senior Food Insecurity in Kentucky: A Growing Public Health Challenge,” describes the complex web of barriers that prevent seniors from accessing healthy, affordable and culturally appropriate food. These obstacles are caused by a myriad of factors that include mobility challenges, geography and social isolation, poverty and inadequate transportation. Additionally, stigma around public benefits and difficulty navigating programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) mean that just 18.5% of eligible Kentucky seniors are receiving that assistance.

As one of the seniors participating in the Foundation’s research shared, “…there are months I skip meals…we’re suffering, and we shouldn’t have to.”

While high food prices and recent changes to supplemental food benefit programs have caused sharp increases in demand for food assistance, our state is not without resources or solutions. Across Kentucky, a network of more than 800 food pantries, fresh fruit and vegetable incentives, innovative mobile markets, and community-driven programs are working to overcome access barriers for seniors. In response to recent funding changes, the state, the private sector, nonprofits and individuals stepped up to meet the moment.

For example, the Humana Foundation committed $100,000 to Dare to Care Food Bank to provide urgently needed support. As the report sheds light on long-standing challenges to senior food insecurity, continued support will be crucial to ensure all senior nutrition programs have the necessary resources to fulfill ongoing demand.

Where those investments are most effective are in efforts that have been co-developed, staffed or led by seniors who best understand the needs of their peers. For instance, Dare to Care Food Bank has been leading a food equity initiative that centers the voices and experiences of the older adults we serve and informs our programs, as well as collaborates with other partners within the senior food ecosystem. We will continue to partner with the foundation through a multi-year grant to strengthen our food distribution and nutrition education for seniors, piloting grocery memberships and frozen meals. These efforts will help us reach seniors where they are with nutritious foods they enjoy.

For many older Kentuckians, applying for SNAP benefits is a formidable roadblock to receiving often essential food assistance. The Legal Aid Society in Louisville has helped seniors access over $500,000 in SNAP benefits by providing free legal support and in-home visits, when necessary, especially important for homebound adults.

Still, as encouraging as these efforts are, more must be done.

The Humana Foundation’s research identifies the following investments needed to address the state’s senior food insecurity crisis:

• Fund and scale community-driven programs that center senior voices in addressing nutrition needs and social connection.
• Invest in senior SNAP outreach and enrollment through organizations that help older adults navigate complex benefits systems, reduce stigma, and expand access.Foster coordinated, cross-sector collaborations that bring together food, health and aging service providers, supported by government and philanthropic investments, to build an equitable and sustainable food ecosystem.
• Support research and evaluation by funding county-level studies on senior food insecurity and scaling best practices that improve nutrition, emotional well-being, and social connectedness.

Finally, we must ensure that seniors have a seat at the table. Kentucky’s older adults possess deep wisdom and community ties. Their voices should guide the design of food security solutions—not only as beneficiaries, but as co-creators of a more equitable and connected food system.

Kentucky’s older adults deserve more than just meals—they deserve dignity, health, and community. Let’s act with urgency and compassion to ensure that every senior in our state is food secure and well-supported.

Tiffany Benjamin is the CEO of the Humana Foundation, where she leads efforts to advance health equity and remove barriers driven by social determinants of health. Vincent James is the CEO and President of Dare to Care Food Bank, leading initiatives to expand food access and help communities secure reliable, nutritious meals.