Falls, disability and hunger are surprisingly common aspects of life for California seniors

The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research just released a policy brief stating that more than one out of five California seniors experience falls, disability, and hunger or a combination of the three. According to the brief, nearly 12% of Californians ages 65 and older have fallen more than once in the previous year; nearly 7% have some disability that requires special assistance for simple tasks such as eating, dressing or bathing; and 20% of low-income seniors consistently cannot afford to buy food.

Falls, disabilities and food insecurity are each, to an extent, preventable," said Steven P. Wallace, lead author of the brief and Associate Director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. "Policies and programs that help individuals address these issues can have a tremendous impact on the ability of older Californians to live independently longer." As the senior population in California begins to rise, it is important to see what health issues are impacting our seniors.

The data used in this study comes from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) and represents the first time that this prevalence data has been available for California senior citizens.

To read more about the study. click here

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