TEXAS'S AGING POPULATION: BY THE NUMBERS
If you, a family member, a friend, or a neighbor are isolated and in need of a nutritious, friendly visit and a safety check, please call Meals on Wheels at 210-735-5115. You can download a PDF of these statistics here.
TEXAS'S SENIOR POPULATION STRUGGLES WITH HUNGER AND ISOLATION
| Senior population of adults age 60+ | 5,644,824 (18.9%) |
| Seniors experiencing limited or uncertain access to adequate food (marginally food secure)* | 977,735 (17.5%) |
| Seniors experiencing reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet (low food secure)* | 546,775 (9.8%) |
| Seniors experiencing reduced food intake (very low food secure) | 194,508 (3.5%) |
| State ranking for risk of social isolation | 31st in U.S. |
FACTORS CREATE DISPARITIES AND MAKE SENIORS VULNERABLE
| Black or African American | 10.7% | Hispanic or Latino | 24.6% | |
| Seniors self-reporting “fair to poor” health | 29.1% | Seniors with a disability | 31% | |
| Seniors living alone | 21.9% | Seniors living below the poverty line |
13.1% |
|
| Native American / Alaskan or Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | Less than 1% | |||
| Seniors who lack income to pay for basic living needs | Singles: 47.4% | Couples: 22.2% | ||
POOR NUTRITION/LIMITED AFFECTS PEOPLE, HEALTHCARE, AND ECONOMY
| Seniors experiencing falls with injury/year | 11% | Preventable hospitalizations** | 2.7% |
| Hospital readmissions within 30 days** | 16% | Total Medicare spending (in billions) | $28.08 |
OLDER AMERICANS ACT (OAA) NUTRITION PROGRAMS IN TEXAS ARE DELIVERING
| Title III-C Nutrition Program | TitleVI Grants for Native Americans | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seniors Served | Meals Served | Seniors Served | Meals Served | |
| Congregate meals | 16,974 | 641,358 | 0 | 0 |
| Home-delivered meals | 118,441 | 20,286,297 | 293 | 41,657 |
| Total | 135,415 | 20,927,655 | 293 | 41,657 |
PROFILE OF CLIENTS RECEIVING OAA TITLE III SERVICES ****
| Live in a rural area | 33.7% | Black / African American | 19.3% |
| Live below the poverty line | 45% | Asian | 1.5 |
| Hispanic / Spanish / Latino Ethnicity***** | 35.4% | Native American or Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | Less than 1% |
PROGRAM FUNDING VARIES BASED ON COMMUNITY NEEDS AND RESOURCES OF THE COMMUNITY- MADE UP OF FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND PRIVATE DOLLARS
| Congregate Meals | Home-delivered meals | Total | |
| OAA III Expenditures | $2,988,939 | $33,482,159 | $36,471,098 (35.4%) |
| Total Expenditures | $4,238,423 | $98,858,776 | $103,097,199 |
FULLY INVESTING IN MEALS ON WHEELS ENSURES VULNERABLE TX SENIORS CAN REMAIN HEALTHIER AT HOME, AVOIDING COSTLY HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
| Cost of 1 day in a hospital | Cost of 1 day in a nursing home |
| $2,913 | $169 |
