Good nutrition — balanced meals, enough food, and the right nutrients — is vitally important to good health. But when it comes to our health, there’s a difference between eating well and sharing a meal with others. While food fuels our bodies, connection fuels us in other equally important ways. As we in the aging network see every day, coming together over a meal can provide structure, a sense of belonging, and meaningful ways to bond over shared beliefs and cultural interests — which research has shown is also vitally important to good health.
Today, as we mark the 52nd anniversary of the Senior Nutrition Program, we celebrate with a theme that reflects the soul of the program: Connection in Every Bite.
Since the Older Americans Act established the Senior Nutrition Program on March 22, 1972, it has served as more than a nutritional service. It also is a lifeline of connection and community.
Older adults are at increased risk of loneliness and social isolation, which studies show can negatively affect mental and physical health. A lack of social connection increases our risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and cognitive decline. But there’s good news. Studies show that people who dine with others regularly eat healthier and report better quality of life.
We’ve known for a long time that connection and well-being are interdependent. That's why the Older Americans Act charges us with enhancing socialization as an integral part of nutrition services. The last several years have been a staggering reminder of just how much this matters. Now that we’re together again, we celebrate renewed connections.
Connection is one way our senior nutrition programs are quietly transforming lives in communities across the country. Programs serve healthy meals to seniors at risk of hunger and malnutrition, including those whose home-delivered meals may be the only time they connect with someone else that day or week. They create congregate spaces where older adults’ preferences are known and respected, where every meal becomes an opportunity for fellowship and understanding.
The heroes that make this happen are the people who make up the aging services network: the state units on aging, area agencies on aging, and local service providers. The staff and volunteers of these agencies and organizations carry out the vital work of the Senior Nutrition Program, connecting and nourishing older adults. I want to take this opportunity to applaud their dedication. They make a difference every day.
Senior nutrition program participants are not simply receiving a meal; they are engaging as valued members of a connected community. As one participant put it, “It gets us out of the house, and we feel a part of something. We feel like we still belong.”
On this anniversary, join me in celebrating the power of togetherness. "Connection in Every Bite" isn't just a theme; it's a commitment to continue nurturing connections and, in turn, individual and community health. Continue to champion local nutrition programs and their invaluable work throughout the year.