The Humana Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. for the past 44 years, today announced the publication of its new issue brief, Senior Food Insecurity in Kentucky: A Growing Public Health Challenge. The brief 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.

Kentucky ranks 46^th 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%, surpassing the national average of 9.2%. 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. 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,” said Danielle Neveles-McGrath, Chief Impact Officer of the Humana Foundation and co-author of the issue brief. “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.”

The issue brief identifies key barriers affecting senior food access and community-led investments that would improve food security and the health of older adults. It emphasizes the importance of listening to seniors to better understand those obstacles and develop long-lasting solutions. Reflecting the need to hear directly from older adults, the research team interviewed Kentucky seniors impacted by food insecurity who live in both rural and urban areas. For those located in rural areas, the challenges are compounded by the distances they have to travel to obtain affordable and nutritious foods.

“There are months I skip meals,” said Ms. Terri, a research participant living in the small South-Central Kentucky town of Scottsville. “I just want to sit here and cry. We’re suffering and we shouldn’t have to.”

Many seniors living in urban areas also face obstacles in securing healthy food. Mobility issues, as well as a lack of transportation and internet access, hinder older adults from accessing markets, food pantries and delivery apps. One Humana Foundation nonprofit partner serving Louisville seniors is Dare to Care Food Bank, a charitable food system that supports food pantries in offering delivery services and mobile market options in low-income housing communities.

In a call to action to reduce food insecurity among Kentucky’s seniors, 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 through organizations that help seniors navigate complex benefits systems, reduce stigma, and expand access. Currently, only 18.5% of eligible seniors in Kentucky are enrolled in the food assistance program.
• 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 and scaling best practices that improve nutrition, emotional well-being, and social connectedness.

“Our research reveals the many roadblocks that lead to food insecurity in Kentucky’s older population,” said Tiffany Benjamin, CEO of the Humana Foundation. “It also makes clear the need for a collaborative effort involving a cross-section of food and aging service providers supported by government and philanthropic initiatives that together can build a sustainable and equitable food ecosystem serving the needs of the state’s seniors.”

To read the issue brief, click here.

About the Humana Foundation

The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. and is focused on health equity, working to eliminate unjust, avoidable, and unnecessary barriers in health and healthcare. The Foundation fosters evidence-based collaborations and investments that help people in underserved communities live connected, healthy lives. As a steward of good health, the Foundation creates healthy emotional connections for people and communities and is shaping a healthier approach to nutrition to support lifelong well-being. For more information, visit humanafoundation.org.

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