No Senior Eats Alone Day

The Baltimore County Department of Aging (BCDA) is inviting everyone to participate in No Senior Eats Alone Day (NSEAD) on Thursday, September 11, or any day of their choosing during the week of September 7 through 13. The goal is to help make older adults feel valued and connected, establish better eating habits, and improve nutrition and health. We also encourage partners to join us in drawing attention to the impact of social isolation.

If you join and support NSEAD, please post your photographs on social media and use the hashtag #NoSeniorEatsAloneDay.

WAYS TO PARTICIPATE

Help make a difference—one person at a time—for the 200,000 adults over the age of 60 in Baltimore County:

• Share a meal with an older adult that you work or volunteer with.
• Take an older adult out to a restaurant or prepare a meal at home for them.
• Provide a gathering space for older adults to eat together.
• Host a special meal with activities and entertainment through a local church, community center or organization.
• Provide a discount at restaurants or offer a special price for seniors.
• Promote the event through your friends, family and local organizations.
• Sign up for a meal at a local senior center or senior housing facility, or invite an older adult to join if you already attend.

PARTNER REGISTRATION

Individuals, businesses, churches, community groups, senior housing, restaurants and more can participate as a partner by holding either a public or private event on NSEAD or during the week of September 7 through 13.

Register to participate as a partner.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Share a meal with friends new and old. Enjoy conversation and stay connected. It’s been shown that sharing meals together improves health, happiness and social connection.

The following businesses and organizations are offering events that are not open to the public in conjunction with NSEAD.

• Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, Inc.
• MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

Visit this page in the future to discover businesses and organizations are serving as Community Champions encouraging people associated with them to support and participate in NSEAD.

• Baltimore County Department of Aging Senior Centers
• Baltimore County Department of Police
• Baltimore County Fire Department

MORE INFORMATION

Sharing meals together improves health, happiness and social connection. When older adults share a meal, it can:

• Increase life expectancy
• Improve mental health and cognitive status
• Encourage more nutritious meals with higher satisfaction. Older adults who live alone are 49 percent more likely to have poor nutritional habits, which increases their risk of illness and hospitalization.
• Increase feelings of motivation to care for themselves
• Decrease high blood pressure and cholesterol
• Lower feelings of depression and loneliness. Older adults who eat alone are twice as likely to be depressed and 79 percent more likely to have greater feelings of isolation.
• Reduce risk for physical and psychological health decline. Older adults who eat alone are at a 59 percent higher risk of physical and mental decline.
• Decrease risk of falls due to better nutrition

For more information about NSEAD, call 410-887-2002.