Food stamp participation by eligible older Americans remains low

Food Review, Summer-Fall, 2002 by Parke Wilde, Elizabeth Dagata

Table 1

Fewer Than a Third of Eligible People Over Age 60 Receive Food Stamps

Fiscal            Eligible persons, by age (years)
year      0-17                       18-59     60  
                              Millions

1994      15.0                        14.6      5.5
1995      15.0                        14.5      5.1
1996      14.4                        14.3      5.8
1997      14.0                        12.4      5.4
1998      13.4                        11.7      5.3
1999      12.7                        11.6      5.2
2000      11.9                        10.9      5.4

Fiscal            Participants, by age (years)
year      0-17                   18-59     60  
                            Millions

1994      13.5                    10.8      1.9
1995      13.0                    10.3      1.9
1996      12.3                     9.9      1.7
1997      10.6                     8.1      1.6
1998       9.4                     7.1      1.6
1999       8.7                     6.7      1.7
2000       8.5                     6.5      1.7

Fiscal         Participation rate, by age (years)
year      0-17                     18-59     60  
                             Percent

1994      89.6                      74.2     35.7
1995      86.8                      71.2     36.1
1996      85.6                      68.7     29.7
1997      75.7                      65.8     29.8
1998      70.7                      60.3     30.9
1999      67.9                      58.1     32.9
2000      71.8                      59.9     30.0

Source: USDA's Food and Nutrition Service.
Table 2

Elderly Food Stamp Participants Report Lower Rates of Excellent and Very
Good Heath Than Nonparticipants

                              Persons age 60  with income
                               <= 130 percent of poverty
                                       guideline

Item                            All         FS participants

Persons, March                7,742            1,038 (1)
 2001 (thousands)
                                                Percent
Age:
 60-69                           37               48
 70-79                           39               37
 80-89                           20               12
 90                               4                3

Gender:
 Female                          66               69
 Male                            34               31

Race:
 White, non-Hispanic             69               55
 Black, non-Hispanic             15               24
 Hispanic                        12               17
 Other                            4                3

Residence:
 Rural                           28               31
 Urban                           72               69

Region:
 Northeast                       19               22
 Midwest                         19               14
 South                           44               52
 West                            18               12

Health:
 Excellent or very good          21               10
 Good                            30               20
 Fair                            29               35
 Poor                            20               35

Food security status: (2)
 Secure                          80               61
 Insecure, without hunger        14               25
 Insecure, with hunger            6               14

Received SSI benefits            12               40

                            Persons age 60 
                              with income
                           <= 130 percent of
                           poverty guideline
                                 FS
Item                       nonparticipants

Persons, March                  6,704
 2001 (thousands)

Age:
 60-69                           35
 70-79                           39
 80-89                           22
 90                               4

Gender:
 Female                          65
 Male                            35

Race:
 White, non-Hispanic             71
 Black, non-Hispanic             14
 Hispanic                        11
 Other                            4

Residence:
 Rural                           27
 Urban                           73

Region:
 Northeast                       19
 Midwest                         20
 South                           42
 West                            19

Health:
 Excellent or very good          22
 Good                            32
 Fair                            28
 Poor                            18

Food security status: (2)
 Secure                          84
 Insecure, without hunger        12
 Insecure, with hunger            4

Received SSI benefits             7

Note: FS = Food Stamp Program.

SSI = Supplemental Security Income.

(1)The Current Population Survey undercounts the number of elderly food
stamp participants. There were 1.7 million elderly food stamp
participants on average each month in 2000.

(2)Food security is defined as having access at all times to adequate
food for an active, healthy life, and it is measured by asking a series
of questions about household experiences of food deprivation.

Source: Current Population Survey (CPS), March 2001; CPS Food Security
Supplements, April 1990 and September 2000, U.S. Census Bureau.