Aster Aging Honors Life’s Golden Years

Growing up in one of Los Angeles’ toughest neighborhoods, Anthony, better known as Tony, has faced a lifetime of challenges and instability. Now at 62 years old, he is a loving father of four adult children and six grandchildren.

The past few years have brought a new set of setbacks for Tony and his family. Most tragically, Tony was diagnosed with kidney cancer several years ago. Before his cancer diagnosis, Tony was already struggling to make ends meet. As the sole provider for a household of eight, putting food on the table was a constant worry. That is when he began receiving monthly senior food boxes from the local nonprofit Aster Aging to help fill the gap. Now, as he works towards being cancer-free, the food he receives is needed more than ever before. Thankfully, Tony isn’t alone.

“It means a lot,” Tony shared. “It helps us out because it’s me, my wife, my grandkids, and my daughter living in the house, so it helps a lot. The cereals, the milk, everything. It always helps make sure they have something to eat.”

As Tony’s story shows, there is more to aging than meets the eye. In fact, Tony is one of the millions of seniors across the United States who don’t have consistent access to healthy meals. Many must make the impossible choice of eating dinner or paying for life-saving medications. In Arizona, 1 in 10 seniors are facing food insecurity, making them the fastest-growing food-insecure population in the country.

The consequences of food insecurity for seniors extend far beyond hunger; it can also impact their physical and mental health. Research from the National Council on Aging found that seniors who are food insecure are 65% more likely to have diabetes and other health conditions. Therefore, allowing everyone, especially seniors, access to nutritious meals is vital. However, organizations like United Food Bank and one of its partner agencies, Aster Aging, are actively involved in helping seniors receive the assistance they need.

Since its inception in 1979, Aster Aging has been dedicated to empowering Arizona’s older adults to remain independent and stay engaged in their communities.

The name Aster Aging is derived from the Aster flower. While it blooms later than most flowers, its resilience and ability to survive in any climate are truly what make it beautiful. In this spirit, Aster Aging aims to help seniors flourish and stay hopeful even in the later stages of life.

Across the East Valley, Aster Aging offers seniors a wide range of programs and services for neighbors, including companionship visits, transportation, bill assistance and food assistance for their furry friends. But one of Aster Aging’s most essential and constant needs is food assistance. Since partnering with United Food Bank, Aster Aging is not only able to distribute senior food boxes alongside additional goods such as meats, fresh produce and dairy products. United Food Bank also supports Aster Aging by helping to qualify their neighbors for benefits such as food stamps (SNAP).  

For Taylor Eaton, her work is deeply personal. Growing up in a multi-generational home, where her grandparents lived alongside her for most of her childhood. Eaton saw the daily struggles her grandparents faced, especially when her grandfather became ill. That experience and upbringing shaped her path, ultimately leading her to become the Social Services Specialist at Aster Aging.

In her role, she gets to see every day how the food that United Food Bank distributes has changed their lives.

“The biggest thing about the food boxes we get from United Food Bank is more of the supplemental items available,” Eaton shared. “Those really help them last throughout the month because they may have the ability to pick up those smaller things to craft those meals together, but those main items, the ones that’ll last throughout the month.”

Through her time working closely with seniors, Eaton has learned just how many barriers seniors face daily in achieving financial security. For many, being unable to drive adds another pressure of trying to navigate how to attend doctors’ appointments or make trips to the grocery store. And now, with the rise in the cost of living, many seniors live on incomes that are insufficient to support their needs as they once did.

“Social Security is typically not a lot for our seniors to live off of, especially with the cost of living in every area rising,” shared Eaton.

And beyond the financial strain, there’s the emotional weight of not knowing where to turn to.

“It’s stressful to age,” remarked Ramoncita Cocova, the Director of Social Services at Aster Aging.  “We take [aging] for granted. We work and work and there is a misconception of wanting to be retired because it’s like so easy. This is completely not true.”

Many people may say seniors have it easy because they are retired. But for Cocova and Eaton, they want others to know that this isn’t always the reality. Everybody has invisible battles they are trying to face. For seniors, this may look like facing health challenges, financial strain and loss of loved ones.

That’s why support from the community and organizations like Aster Aging and United Food Bank is so essential. In a world that can often feel harsh, that support helps Arizona’s seniors, like Tony, not only feed their families but truly flourish, just like the Aster flower that blooms late in the season.