Recently, San Diego county has started to lift the stay at home orders to allow many businesses to re-open. Unfortunately, this has led to a spike in positive coronavirus cases across the county and has made accessibility to food resources for seniors complicated. According to the San Diego County coronavirus demographic data, 72.5% of deaths attributed to coronavirus (COVID-19) have been in the 70-80+ age range.
While businesses and people are attempting to return to normal, the hazards of the coronavirus pandemic have not lessened – in fact to the contrary for at-risk populations and peoples, such as San Diego seniors. To this end, the county of San Diego and private organizations have made many coronavirus safety resources available. Many of these services are specifically for seniors, with special focus on food availability.
211SanDiego.org is a Great Directory of Resources for Seniors (and Everyone Else)
The mission of 211SanDiego.org is to aggregate resources from various organizations, both public and private, for ease of community access. Translation? Seniors can find a lot of help for the coronavirus-related problems and other problems that they may be experiencing during the pandemic. Check out their Older Adults Resources page for over 300 senior services including, but not limited to:
| · Welfare Check Services | · Fitness Services |
| · Meal & Food Delivery Services | · Help Applying for Medi-Care Services |
| · Sliding-scale home care services | · Multicultural Support Services |
| · Elder Care Ministry | · Senior-oriented classes |
| · Law Services | · Health & Wellness Services |
| · Transportation & Ride Services | · Adult Day Care Centers |
| · Prescription Pick-up/Delivery Services | · Home Repair Services |
Grocery, Meal Delivery Services, Emergency Food Services
One of the most affecting issues created for seniors by the coronavirus pandemic is diminished access to food resources for seniors. The added difficulty of grocery shopping, due to social distancing restrictions as well as far less grocery stores being open has disproportionately affected seniors.
Grocery Stores with Senior Hours
Many seniors are aware that many major chain grocers are currently offering seniors-only hours in the mornings and on certain days. Some stores have continued these hours, while some have suspended the practice. The best way to check is to visit their websites and find if your location offers seniors-only hours, or to call the location. Listed below are links to some major grocers throughout San Diego:
- Costco – Senior Hours are 8:00am to 9:00am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays.
- Trader Joes – Senior Hours are 8:00am to 9:00am Monday through Sunday.
- Vons – Senior Hours vary by location; generally, 6:00am to 7:00am daily.
- Albertsons – Senior Hours vary by location; find your location for hours.
- Walmart – Have suspended seniors-only shopping hours as of April 28, 2020.
- Ralphs – No senior-only hours found on website.
- Target – Senior Hours vary by location, but generally 8:00am to 9:00am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays.
Meal Delivery & Meal Assistance
The simple act of going out to the grocery store can be a major task for seniors; for some it is also a financial burden. It can also put seniors at high risk for exposure to coronavirus COVID-19. One solution is meal delivery services that are provided at low- or no-cost to eligible seniors. 211SanDiego.org lists many meal-delivery options for seniors. Some standouts include:
- Great Plates Delivered
Based on eligibility, three (3) meals are delivered once a day. Currently the program runs through July 10, 2020. - Meals on Wheels San Diego
Based on eligibility, MOW delivers meals for a fee to seniors, with four locations throughout San Diego county. Meals are subsidized at 60% and EBT is accepted. As of June 26, 2020, meal fees are $7.00 per day for lunch/dinner +beverage, or $4.00 per day for either lunch or dinner, including beverage. - ServingSeniors.org
Before the pandemic, Serving Seniors served breakfast and lunch throughout San Diego County, at 11 sites that they referred to as congregated meal sites. Covid-19 concerns have caused these sites to close. Currently, at home meal delivery service is at or near capacity, but free to-go meals are still available from the Gary & Mary West Senior Wellness Center in downtown San Diego. Seniors can pick up breakfast and lunch at 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. respectively.
Before the pandemic, Serving Seniors served breakfast and lunch throughout San Diego County, at 11 sites that they referred to as congregated meal sites. Covid-19 concerns have caused these sites to close. Currently, at home meal delivery service is at or near capacity, but free to-go meals are still available from the Gary & Mary West Senior Wellness Center in downtown San Diego. Seniors can pick up breakfast and lunch at 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. respectively.
Emergency Food Services
While many food services for seniors are subsidized, there are also no-cost options for seniors (and others) financially impacted both during the coronavirus pandemic and at all times. Many organizations have specific programs for seniors to alleviate food insecurity during the coronavirus pandemic. 211SanDiego has an extensive list of emergency food services, the following of which are just a couple.
Feeding San Diego
FDS partners with over 300 organizations to provide food to seniors and others in need, but they also distribute food. Their website lists food distribution centers that can be searched by distance to your location. In addition, the eligibility requirements for each center are clearly noted: call first for possible eligibility requirements, no need to call and no requirements, and youth meals.
Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank
The SDFB has several different programs to distribute food to those in need. Their Senior Food Program provides a monthly box of food (35lbs, plus 2lbs of cheese) to seniors 60 years of age and older, if they meet the program guidelines and requirements. Each week the Senior Food Program distributes from different areas, but sites can easily be found every week by visiting Senior Food Program section of the SDFB website.
Note that seniors signing up for the Senior Food Program will need to bring (1) Valid ID with Date of Birth and (2) Proof of Address. While there are income requirements as listed below, there is no income documentation required and only verbal self-certification is required.
Finding Meal & Food Resources During Coronavirus
Despite initial concerns, finding senior food and meal resources in San Diego during the coronavirus pandemic is much easier thanks to San Diego County resources and especially the exhaustive food resources listed at 211SanDiego. While the amount of information can be daunting, contacting one resource can lead to great advice from knowledgeable organizers and volunteers about which program could be best for you.
For more help on how to find and apply for senior meal and food services, you might also consider contacting the County of San Diego Aging & Independence Services (AIS) at 800-339-4661 for more assistance.
