CommonGood would appreciate hearing from anyone involved with Food Rescue from local grocery stores or restaurants.

In February 2010, Feeding America released its fifth and most comprehensive study of hunger in the U.S.: Hunger in America 2010.

As a nation, we have a special responsibility to vulnerable populations such as the elderly. Older Americans have built the economy and national infrastructure from which we now benefit.  Raised during the Great Depression, they went on to defend our freedom in the Second World War and won the cold war. America's older citizens have rightly been called the "greatest generation." It is morally reprehensible that the people that built this country should suffer hunger in a land of plenty, which they helped to create.  Food insecurity among this vulnerable population is especially troublesome because they have unique nutritional needs and may require special diets for medical conditions.

The following are some key findings from the study regarding the elderly in our country:

• Nearly 3 million elderly persons are served by Feeding America each year.  18.6 percent of client hou seholds have at least one member who is age 65 or over.
• Among all clients served by Feeding America, 8 percent were seniors age 65 or over while 14.2 percent of adult clients interviewed at emergency feeding programs were 65 or older. 
•  Among all client households with at least one senior, 10.5 percent use senior brown bag programs, 16.5 percent attend senior nutrition sites (such as senior centers that serve lunch) and 6.6 percent receive home-delivered meals or meals-on-wheels.
• 30 percent of client households with seniors indicated that they have had to choose between food and medical care and 35 percent had to choose between food and paying for heat/utili ties.

Other Facts:

• 6.5 percent of households with seniors (1.7 million households) were food insecure. 
• 8.9 percent of the elderly live below the poverty line, 3.4 million older Americans. 
• The rate of food insecurity among elderly households with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty line is 22.1 percent.  
• Elderly households are much less likely to receive help through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) than non-elderly households, even when expected benefits are roughly the same. 
• Seniors require greater consideration towards their health and medical needs that can become compromised when there is not enough food to eat.  A study which examined the health and nutritional status of seniors found that food insecure seniors had significantly lower intakes of vital nutrients in their diets when compared to their food secure counterparts.  In addition, food insecure seniors were 2.33 times more likely to report fair/poor health status and had higher nutritional risk. 
• For seniors, protecting oneself from food insecurity and hunger is more difficult than for the general population.  For example, a study that focused on the experience of food insecurity among the elderly population found that food insecure seniors sometimes had enough money to purchase food but did not have the resources to access or prepare food due to lack of transportation, functional limitations, or health problems. 

Locally seniors are provided nutritions meals at senior centers and home delivery services.The Albemarle Commission's Senior Nutrition Program was created by the "Older American's Act".  receives funding from federal, state and county governments.  They  follow federal and state guidelines in serving nutritious meals safely.  There are temperature and safe handling standards that are monitored regularly.  Seniors have to be sixty or older, unable to prepare a nutritious meal for themselves and have a doctor's recommendation to be on the home delivered meal program.  The program receives funding for the food but not for delivering the meals.   Therefore, volunteers to deliver the meals to clients.  The Commission serves ten counties, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hyde, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington.  They have food delivered to twenty-eight sites from four caterers to be disbursed to approximately 680 clients per day.

 

Aubrey Holland of the Albemarle Commission says "The fact that someone is coming to the client's door 5 days a week bringing them nutritious food and checking to see if they are ok (the volunteers report if the client does not respond to the door), often allows the senior to remain independent or in their own home longer.  They are getting attention as well as nourishment.  There have been many instances of volunteers "making a difference" when they've discovered a client ill or in distress.  The volunteer was able to call for assistance.   Most of our clients say they enjoy the volunteer as much as the food because the volunteer is often the only one they see or speak to that day.  There is more than one kind of hunger amongst these seniors!  The volunteers grow to care for the clients.  Many will always do the same route because they have come to care for the people there.  We often hear about the volunteers doing things for them such as changing light bulbs, moving or getting something they can no longer reach or bring in the mail or newspaper.  I've had some that would even check the client's oil tank to make sure they would have heat during a cold spell." 

 

The seniors that need our assistance now are the ones that have helped us get where we are.  These seniors have been our teachers, scout leaders, Sunday School teachers, our family, grandparents and even our parents.  It's time to give back.  Most people can spare one hour a month to deliver meals.  They now need our help!

Twice a month, local florists donate flowers to the hospice program of Dare Home Health & Hospice, an agency of the Dare County Department of Public Health.  Hospice volunteers then arrange these flowers in vases, complete with ribbons and cheerful tags and take the arrangements to the homes of hospice patients and their families throughout Dare County.  Volunteer Karen Muse said of the flower program: "The best feedback I received was from a woman whose husband used to get her flowers all the time and was unable to do that for her anymore because of his illness. 

This simple gesture sends the message that others outside the immediate family are thinking about the patient and their family with genuine concern and love.  Volunteer Sherrie Lemnios says, "Sometimes it's hard to know what to do or say to someone who is dying, but this is something tangible that says so much."  The delivery of flowers introduces patients and families to the hospice volunteer program, which plays an important role in the support they receive.  Volunteer Coordinator, Stephanie Bowers says that the flower program "allows interaction between our volunteers and the family members that is non-intrusive and this has served to increase requests for volunteer services and support throughout the community."

"The feedback I get from hospice patients and their families about our volunteers is so positive. They can't believe that there are people they've never met who want to help them during such a difficult and challenging time."  The flower program is just one way in which hospice volunteers share their time, skills, and compassion with others.  Direct service volunteers provide respite, support, and assistance to the patients and their caregivers.  There are also opportunities for volunteers who are interested in bereavement, clerical, or fundraising activities. If you are interested in learning more about the Dare Home Health & Hospice volunteer program, please contact the volunteer coordinator, Stephanie Bowers at 252-475-5028.

The Outer Banks Cancer Support Group will be drawing the lucky ticket holder for their quilt raffle on October 5th.  The quilt was made with material gathered by the late Sheilah Cone of Manteo, who died in 2009 from cancer.  Sheilah loved vibrant bright colors as you can see from the quilt.  This quilt was put together and quilted by the Tea Cup Quilters also of Manteo.  Over 1000 tickets have already been sold and will be available until the night of the drawing.  Contact Karen Rodgers at 252-473-9447.  The tickets are $1.00 each or 6 for $5.  The regular meeting of the group will also be held on October 5th at 7PM at the Cancer Resource Center of The Outer Banks Hospital.  Guest speaker will be Michelle Sanchez of Theraroma, who will talk about aroma therapy and also about Reike.  The meeting is open to anyone interested in attending. 

The Dare County Department of Public Health and Healthy Carolinians of the Outer Banks are partnering with the North Carolina Dental Society to host the second annual NC Missions of Mercy event, a free adult dental clinic. The clinic will be held on Friday and Saturday, Ocotber 29 and 30 in Kill Devil Hills at the Dare County Parks and Recreation Youth and Family Recreation Park at 602 South Mustian Street.

Over 150 dentists and hygienists from across the state and Dare County will provide free dental services including cleanings, fillings, and extractions. The goal is to serve 1200 adult patients as part of the Missions of Mercy dental program. Assistance is needed to orchestrate such a large scale event, community volunteers are needed to help with registration, parking, set up, clean up, and numerous other support functions.
Last year's Dare County Missions of Mercy dental clinic provided free services valued at over $400,000 to nearly 1000 adults.  During those two days, 2,950 dental procedures were performed.
Volunteer applications are available on-line.  Please submit applications by October 15, 2010. For more information contact Sheila Davies, Community Development Specialist with DCDPH, at (252)441-2324 or sheilad@darenc.com. Additional information about the Dare County Missions of Mercy dental clinic can be found at www.ncdental.org.

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