West Bathtub lady hikes to increase funds for Good Shepherd Food stuff Bank amid pandemic

Rita Losee, proven here in August, is hiking 5 miles each individual working day to raise income for the Excellent Shepherd Foods Bank. She also needs to persuade seniors to keep energetic amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Picture courtesy of Rita Losee

Tub — Rita Losee, 78, of West Bath is climbing five miles every single day from Jan. 1 to March 21 to elevate revenue for the Great Shepherd Foodstuff Financial institution amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Losee claimed she wishes to simultaneously motivate folks of all ages to workout although supporting the Great Shepherd Foodstuff Lender since “seniors just cannot be wholesome unless of course they have the foodstuff they have to have.”

Meals insecurity stretches outside of empty cabinets and likely to mattress hungry. Individuals who struggle to place food stuff on the table are far more inclined to persistent conditions and health and fitness conditions together with bronchial asthma, diabetes, psychological wellness challenges, hypertension and being overweight, according to a 2019 Desires Evaluation report from Sagadahoc County.

This can be especially harmful for the 16% of Maine seniors who are at hazard of heading hungry, according to the Fantastic Shephard Food Bank, and that selection has possible amplified owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Before the pandemic, we had 12% of Maine households ended up foodstuff insecure,” reported Robin McCarthy, once-a-year giving officer for the Great Shepherd Foodstuff Bank. “We’re expecting that variety to develop by 8%.”

1 yr back, 180,000 Mainers have been food insecure, in accordance to McCarthy. She stated the food bank expects that quantity to develop to 215,000 soon after the pandemic.

“It’s a surprising factor that human beings can live their whole life working tricky and preserving, then obtain themselves in a posture in their afterwards several years when they are not able to get the foods they have to have,” claimed McCarthy.

Further than encouraging fight meals insecurity, Losee claimed she needs to persuade seniors to continue to be lively to lower their threat of establishing issues from COVID-19, should they agreement it.

“What if the ache and panic that arrived out of 2020 motivated us to commence using care of our bodies?” Losee reported. “We have regulate over how we treat our bodies. I want people today to glance at me and believe ‘Well if that previous wide can do it, so can I.”

According to the Maine Heart for Disease Handle and Prevention, of the 438 Mainers who have died from COVID-19 due to the fact March, 120 were being in their 70s and 255 were being in excess of 80 many years old.

In addition to age, the CDC lists being overweight as one particular of the chance variables contributing to serious troubles from COVID-19.

Carl DeMars, vice president of Ambulatory Care at Mid Coast Medical center, mentioned very good nourishment, regular work out and acquiring adequate slumber can assistance any person minimize their threat of of producing troubles from COVID-19.

“Having a superior food plan and a in good shape system are definitely handy when fighting any infectious ailment like COVID-19,” explained DeMars. “Especially in the pandemic when seniors are a great deal a lot more isolated, obtaining outside and taking a walk six toes away from a close friend in the clean air can support.”

Losee mentioned her maternal grandfather who experienced Parkinson’s Disease motivated her to continue to be active no matter of her age. In spite of the decease making it hard for him to wander, Losee explained her grandfather would stroll about a mile from inside his dwelling.

“He stored shifting, and that is critically crucial for all of us, no matter what our age is,” she reported. “Very usually it is difficult to acquire that first phase when you’re sitting in your warm home. But, a entire body in movement tends to stay in motion, and that is effective whether or not you are a earth or a individual.”

If somebody isn’t capable to donate to Losee’s result in financially, McCarthy inspired men and women to check out on their elderly pals and neighbors to see if they require assistance. Men and women can also volunteer with their neighborhood nonprofits to provide meals to homebound seniors, which has been a problem for foods financial institutions amid the pandemic, McCarthy explained. Beforehand, seniors produced up the the vast majority of the meals provide volunteer base, but now they are staying household to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19.

“Fundraisers like Rita’s are incredibly useful,” McCarthy reported. “If very little else, it signals to seniors that they’re not alone, and their local community cares about them.”

On line donations to Losee’s fundraiser can me made at www.gsfb.org/hikeforhealth

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