When it comes to avoiding foodborne illness through safe food preparation and storage, senior citizens often are their own worst enemies, says a registered dietitian in the college.

Sarah Shumofsky, a resident of Foxdale Retirement Village in State College, Pennsylvania, prepares dinner in her apartment.

“Because they have weakened immune systems and reduced stomach acid, the elderly are especially susceptible to foodborne illnesses,” says Mary Alice Gettings, Penn State Cooperative Extension nutrition and health agent in Beaver County. “But the methods they use to thaw, cook, handle, and store foods often increase their risk of becoming sick.”

Foodborne pathogens such as Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli can cause flu-like symptoms, and even death, among susceptible populations. According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 76 million cases of foodborne illness kill about 5,000 people and hospitalize 325,000 more in the United States each year. Many more cases likely go unreported, mistaken for other bacterial or viral infections.

To develop educational strategies for reducing the chances of foodborne illness among the elderly, Gettings and program evaluation specialist Nancy Ellen Kiernan studied the food safety practices of seniors in three urban and three rural counties in western Pennsylvania. The research was published recently in the Journal of Nutrition Education.

Participants were 60 to 85 years old and prepared at least five meals a week. Conducting focus groups in senior citizen centers, the researchers asked seniors how they cook, cool, and thaw meat, poultry, and seafood—and where they got the idea to do it that way. “We chose to study seniors because of their vulnerability, and because there was very little information in the literature about food safety practices among the elderly,” Gettings explains.

The study found that, although participants used both appropriate and inappropriate food safety practices, many of their methods increase their risk of foodborne illness.

For instance, many seniors failed to use a meat thermometer, which is the most scientifically sound method of ensuring that food is cooked thoroughly enough to reduce harmful levels of pathogens. Instead, common practices included relying on a specific amount of cooking time and using utensils to cut food open and checking doneness by sight.

“We heard comments such as, ‘If you take chicken out and see blood, then you know you have to leave it in longer,’ and, ‘I wiggle the turkey leg, and if it’s loose, I guess it’s done,’” says Gettings. “Barriers to adopting the proper method included resistance to change, the perceived inconvenience of using a thermometer, and a lack of resources—they say they don’t own and can’t afford a thermometer.”

Seniors also commonly used inappropriate practices for thawing and cooling foods. Risky thawing methods included placing frozen food in water that was never replaced with fresh water. Among inappropriate cooling methods was placing large quantities of hot food into one large container to refrigerate, rather than portioning it into smaller containers so it could cool faster.

When asked how they learned these practices, many seniors cited experience (“I’ve done this for years and it hasn’t hurt me yet”) and relatives. “Some said they learned these methods from their mothers or grandmothers,” says Gettings. “That means an 85-year-old may be using knowledge that was accepted 100 years ago, but today has been proven incorrect.”

The study also looked at ways to educate and motivate seniors to change their food safety methods. “Many told us that they need information from credible sources—such as educators—about the scientific facts and health risks associated with unsafe practices,” Gettings says.

“They also expressed a preference for educational programs and materials that are geared specifically for them,” she says. “For example, programs held in libraries, health centers, churches, and other locations frequented by seniors provide an excellent opportunity to overcome their strong resistance to using a thermometer. Brochures and fact sheets with illustrations—perhaps timed to coincide with holidays or other seasonal events—can reach large numbers of seniors at health fairs, in church bulletins, or in doctors’ waiting rooms.

“Such educational efforts will support safe food handling and promote the continued independence of seniors in their homes,” notes Gettings.

Cindy Javor, nutrition and health agent in Allegheny County, helped plan the study and analyze the data. The following agents helped organize focus groups in their counties: Janet McDougall, Mercer County; George Wilcox, Erie County; Nancy Yergin, Forest County; and Vicky Vrabel, formerly of Westmoreland County.

—Chuck Gill