SUFFOLK, UK – May 6, 2025 – In a country where more than 3.3 million people over 65 live alone, a silent epidemic is unfolding behind closed doors: malnutrition. Often dismissed as an issue for care homes or hospitals, this growing crisis is impacting elderly loved ones in their own kitchens while families remain unaware.
According to new findings from the Office for National Statistics and recent studies, over one in ten older adults in England and Wales are unpaid carers themselves, many providing more than 50 hours of care a week. Meanwhile, social isolation, mobility challenges, and loss of appetite leave millions of elderly individuals at risk of chronic undernutrition leading to increased hospitalisations, frailty, cognitive decline, and even death.
“It’s heartbreaking,” says Mary Merheim, founder of Mary Merheim Ltd, a consultancy tackling malnutrition in the elderly. “Most families genuinely care about their aging parents and grandparents. But they simply don’t see the slow decline or don’t know what to do.”
Despite the growing problem, malnutrition in older adults remains dangerously under-recognised.
A recent report from Age UK reveals that more than two million people aged 75 and over live alone, and more than a million older adults go over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour, or family member.
Mary Merheim is launching a bold campaign to change that. Through her flagship free online masterclass, she equips families with the tools to spot early warning signs of nutritional neglect and take proactive steps to reverse it.
“We’re not here to shame people,” Merheim says. “We’re here to empower them. Because once you understand how malnutrition develops you’ll never look at a half-eaten plate the same way again.”
Families are invited to access the free masterclass at www.marymerheim.co.uk and join the movement to end elderly malnutrition one dinner plate at a time.
ENDS