Older adults: food insecurity.

Existing federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. The federal Older Americans Act provides grants to states to help support nutrition services for seniors at least 60 years of age throughout the country, including congregate and home-delivered meals. Existing state law authorizes the California Department of Aging to make available state funds to fund senior nutrition programs that complement programs implemented pursuant to the Older Americans Act. Existing law specifies the duties of the California Commission on Aging, including serving as the principal advocate body in the state on behalf of older individuals, actively participating and advising the department in the development and preparation of the State Plan on Aging, and performing other duties as may be required by statute, regulation, or resolution. This bill would additionally require the commission to study the impact of malnutrition on older adults in all health care settings in this state and to monitor the influence of malnutrition on older adults' health care costs and outcomes and quality indicators, among other duties related to the prevention of malnutrition in older adults.