Training gains momentum as senior nutrition workforce faces growing demand

AMES, Iowa — As the nation’s older adult population climbs at one of the fastest rates in U.S. history, a new study from Iowa State University researchers points to a growing strain on the workforce responsible for feeding seniors — and a rising need for training.

The study, which was recently published in the Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics, highlights the scale of the shift: The number of Americans age 65 and older rose from 43.1 million in 2012 to 57.8 million in 2022 — a 34% increase — and is projected to reach 88.8 million by 2060. 

“We’re watching the demographic landscape shift in real time, and the systems that support older adults have to keep pace,” said study co-author Sarah Francis, Morrill professor of food science and human nutrition at Iowa State and a state specialist in food and health with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.