SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — One in four Californians will soon be over the age of 60 and affording food isn’t always easy for those on fixed incomes, especially with inflation.
Experts ABC10 spoke with say there are programs and strategies to help people make and meet their food budget.
“People are living longer. California has one of the longest life expectancies in the nation,” said Susan DeMarois, the director of the California Department of Aging.
The department says nearly a quarter of California’s population will be over the age of 65 by 2030, exceeding the 18 and under population for the first time.
“Many older adults are on a fixed income, they might rely on Social Security, a small pension, so they really are paying close attention to their dollars and cents,” said DeMarois.
Many of them are struggling to afford healthy food, too.
“Typically, in California, one in 10 households are food insecure. But if there's somebody 65 or older in that household, it tends to be one in five households are food insecure,” said Pam Miller, the executive director of the Area 4 Agency on Aging.
Being food insecure means you don’t have enough nutrition in your daily life to really be healthy.
“Groceries have gone up, like I think something like 13% in the last year in terms of inflation, but the increase for Social Security was only about 8%... so that leaves that 5% disparity,” said Miller.
CalFresh, California’s version of food stamps or SNAP, helps fill the gap.
“What we're finding is that older adults feel there's a real stigma because there was always a stigma to food stamps, so only about one-third of older adults who could be receiving CalFresh are receiving CalFresh,” said Miller.
CalFresh can provide $23-281 in benefits each month to supplement food budgets, helping individuals, older adults and families afford nutritious food.
The amount of benefits a household receives is dependent on household size, income and monthly expenses like housing and utilities.
The benefits of CalFresh can help families put food on the table and pay for basic living expenses during tough times. Every $1 of CalFresh money spent returns $1.79 to the local economy.
Another program, Meals on Wheels, offers seniors free meals delivered right to their homes.
“Someone might retire and be financially secure, but as they age, their resources and assets dwindle and they have more financial needs,” said DeMarois.
You can figure out an accurate budget that meets your needs in just a few seconds. Each month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture publishes a food budget detailed and tailored for age, gender and spending level.
THIS WEBSITE does all the math for you, just fill out the age and gender of your household, how many times you eat out and hit GO.
Another money-saving move? Growing your own food.
Communities like the Lavender Courtyard apartments in Sacramento have spaces where residents can grow their own gardens. It’s one way to supplement a healthy diet if you’re on a fixed income.
RESOURCES:
California Aging and Adult Info Line: 800-510-2020
CalFresh program: 1-800-211-6565
