“With social distancing older adults’ diet and nutrition may be adversely impacted, particularly if they are afraid of leaving the house or otherwise unable to go to the store, and this may be made even worse if they don’t have relatives or friends living nearby who can bring them food,” said study contributor Jennifer Ailshire, an assistant professor at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.
In order to protect the most vulnerable members of our community, Ailshire offers the following advice:
“I would suggest people check in on the older adults in their lives and their communities (ideally by phone or at a safe distance from their door), particularly those who live alone to see if they have enough food. And local food banks and fire departments can be called to assist older adults with meal delivery. This is especially important for older adults who can’t cook for themselves.”
Assistant Professor Jennifer Ailshire
