A fifth of older people in Renfrewshire are in danger of becoming malnourished, a charity says.
Screening by older people’s charity Food Train has found that 21% of people aged 65 and over in the region are at risk of malnourishment and falling ill – higher than the national average of 16%.
But it believes the actual numbers are greater, with concerns growing about undetected and unreported malnourishment among older people – and the impact that has on their health.
Food Train works to tackle malnutrition and loneliness among older people by making sure they have access to the food they need to eat well and live well in their own homes.
Its delivery vans are familiar sights on the area’s streets – dropping off groceries to its 190 members across the region.
The charity is raising its concerns about malnourishment and issuing calls for action to tackle the issue as part of UK Malnutrition Awareness Week (November 11-17).
Food Train chief executive Rosie McLuskie said: “The fact that 21% of older people across Renfrewshire are at risk of malnutrition is extremely worrying. But the even more concerning reality is that this number is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg.
“The people we have screened are those who have accessed a service run by us, or one of our partners. What about the people who aren’t using services like ours and are slipping through the net?
“Malnourishment among older people is a hidden problem, which has a serious impact on people’s health. For their sake, we need to redouble efforts to get an accurate picture of the scale of those at risk – and those who are actually malnourished and need immediate help.”
Food Train chief executive Rosie McLuskie
Photo Credit: Food Train
Early intervention is recognised as a key way to stop those in danger of becoming malnourished, most notably by preventing dramatic weight loss.
To heighten awareness and encourage action, Food Train is this week writing to all of the region’s MSPs calling for:
- Mandatory malnutrition screening by all agencies supporting older people
- The right to food to be embedded in Scots law
- Increased investment in community initiatives tackling isolation and increasing opportunities for older people to eat
- The Scottish Government to appoint and Older People’s Minister to help tackle this and other issues affecting the over-65s
Jen Grant, a dietitian with Food Train’s Eat Well Age Well project, works with older people to prevent malnourishment.
She said:“People who are malnourished are at increased risk of becoming unwell and malnourishment can exacerbate other health concerns – including becoming frail and suffering falls.”
Food Train has long argued that increased investment in screening and preventative community services such as theirs would ease the financial strain on NHS and social care services by reducing the number of older people who become ill due to malnutrition or loneliness.
Ms McLuskie added: “The risk of malnutrition among older people is rising.
“We work with lots of people who can’t leave their homes and don’t have proper access to food. Yet we don’t see that factored into their health and social care needs. It’s often wrongly assumed that people have access to food.
“There’s lots of talk about food poverty but not access to food. Making sure that people have access to food is so important and needs to be addressed in public policy.”
UK Malnutrition Awareness Week is organised by The Malnutrition Task Force and the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) to raise awareness and understand the risks of preventable malnutrition among both the public and health and social care professionals.
To find out about how Food Train could help you or someone you know, email shopping@thefoodtrain.co.uk or call 0800 3047924. To register as a volunteer, go to www.thefoodtrain.co.uk.