The Growing Needs of Santa Clara County’s Aging Population

As in other parts of the country, the Santa Clara County population is aging. According to the last census, 11 percent of local residents—more than 170,000—are 65 or older. It is estimated that the number of advanced elderly—those over 85—will more than double between 1990 and 2020.

With advanced age come barriers that prevent seniors from keeping the thing they treasure most; their ability to live independent, self-sufficient lives. The frail elderly who live alone are exposed to a range of serious risk factors, including social isolation, the possibility of a fall or other injury, and malnutrition. For seniors, poor nutrition is the root cause of a deteriorating quality of life that can lead to the need for long term care. Nationally, 85 percent of older Americans have some type of chronic disease that could be helped by better nutrition.

Daily Meals and Wellness Checks for the Frail and Physically Challenged
The Health Trust Meals on Wheels program serves the frailest of the frail in Santa Clara County. We deliver nutritious meals daily to physically challenged, homebound individuals, whether they are elderly, are recuperating after a recent hospitalization, or have disabilities confining them to a wheelchair. We are the only program in the county serving this last group. Everyone we help is physically challenged; and by far, the largest number—51 percent—are age 80 and older. Many live alone and are very poor, with 60 percent having incomes of less than $1,000 a month.

Meals on Wheels goes far beyond simply delivering a hot, nutritious meal. When they visit their client’s home, our trained food deliverers perform a daily wellness check. They talk with their client to make sure he or she is eating, and they check the condition of the house and kitchen. For many seniors, their Meals on Wheels driver is the only human face they see all day. There have been occasions when meal deliverers have found their client sick and have made the call for emergency medical care. In addition, because many seniors are unaware of how to access community resources, Meals on Wheels offers a limited program of case management that connects clients with needed services and helps during a crisis.

Ninety-one-year-old Mary Williams looks forward to the daily visit from her Meals on Wheels driver. Because she has severe vertigo, it is nearly impossible for Mary to leave her small apartment to buy food and prepare the balanced meal she needs. Each day, when Mary’s driver arrives, he doesn’t expect a “thank you.” But, he always watches for the smile on Mary’s face as she opens the door.