More than half of the elderly in Hawke's Bay are at risk of malnutrition due to poor diet, according to the provisional findings from research commissioned by our district health board (DHB).
Some might struggle to believe this, as Hawke's Bay truly is a food bowl, but the issue is not
simply one of budget - although lack of funds is believed to be a significant part of the problem.
Many elderly, particularly those living alone, struggle to get out of the house to shops or to cook a meal. So while there may well be good-value fresh food available in Hawke's Bay, that's of little benefit to someone who can't drive to get it, or adequately prepare a meal.
Nevertheless, it seems wrong that anyone should suffer malnutrition in a region where you can, for example, buy a cabbage for the price of a packet of noodles.
But lack of mobility, social isolation and little disposable income mean poor choices are often made for meal options and the experts tell us that elderly folk can get into a routine of existing on low-nutritional food such as noodles rather than meals consisting of fresh vegetables or protein.
The Hawke's Bay DHB survey results have not been officially published, but the provisional findings hint at a problem of a greater magnitude than many thought existed.
It is easy to forget how uninspiring it can be to dine alone night after night. People who dine together tend to eat better meals.
And so we must be grateful for the work of agencies such as Age Concern, which in Napier holds a weekly social lunch for as many as 70 seniors as a way of ensuring they get a healthy meal in a friendly environment with others.
Age Concern and other agencies who work in this area deserve our support because there is one thing we can all count on - the October 1 rise in GST will see food prices rise and this shared community problem get worse.
