About 1 in 4 older adults is malnourished or at risk for malnutrition. During Malnutrition Awareness WeekTM, ACL joins the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition(ASPEN) in raising awareness about prevention, early identification, and treatment. Malnutrition can contribute to muscle loss, weakness, falls, hospitalization, and loss of independence. Early screening, timely intervention, and collaboration among healthcare and aging services providers, registered dietitians, and caregivers can help older adults maintain their health, strength, and quality of life.
Older Americans Act (OAA) programs help prevent and address malnutrition by providing nutrition services and other supports that promote healthy aging and independence. The Senior Nutrition Program provides nutrition services interventions, including congregate and home-delivered meals and education and counseling, while promoting community engagement and connecting older adults with additional services. Other OAA evidence-based programs, including those focused on chronic disease self-management education and fall prevention, can also help address factors that increase malnutrition risk, such as physical decline and medication side effects.
ACL also invests in Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services grants, advancing community-based approaches to strengthen malnutrition screening, nutrition care, service delivery, food security, and more — all while developing promising practices to spur others’ efforts.
Beyond its programs, ACL funds the Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, which provides training, technical assistance, and practical tools — including information about malnutrition — to strengthen nutrition programs across the country.
Visit ACL's Malnutrition Awareness WeekTM observance page to learn more about malnutrition prevention and explore resources for older adults and professionals.