Older adults with obesity face barriers and stigma in social care

A new study has found that older adults living with obesity can feel judged or dismissed by care providers due to their weight, leading to a reluctance to seek help.

Conducted by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and the University of West London, the qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with 33 older adults and has been published in the journal PLOS One.

The participants shared their experiences and needs related to formal and informal social care, and the report highlighted the hidden care gaps caused by obesity.

As well as not asking for help because of concerns over how others might view them, some participants talked about physical barriers, with standard care equipment and facilities often failing to accommodate individuals with higher body weights, resulting in inadequate support.​

The combination of physical limitations and societal stigma also contributed to feelings of isolation and decreased self-worth among participants.​ Financial hardship was also cited as an unmet need, with one interviewee having lost his full-time job due to pain caused by his obesity.

Participants with higher obesity levels reported unmet needs primarily linked to emotional distress, including stress, frustration, social discrimination, isolation, feeling like a burden, lack of housing adaptations and safety, boredom, inability to continue hobbies, and limited access to support.

The study also sets out a new framework designed to understand unmet care needs of older adults with obesity. By identifying these care gaps, it could help care providers plan better health and social care and find where inexpensive, preventive measures could be most effective.

According to the latest Health Survey for England, published in September, 36% of adults aged 55 to 64, and 35% of adults aged 64 to 74, were living with obesity in 2022.

The study underscores the necessity for a more inclusive approach to social care, one that recognises and addresses the specific barriers faced by older adults with obesity.​

Older adults with obesity face unique challenges in accessing and receiving appropriate social care. Despite growing concerns over obesity's impact on health, its influence on social care needs among this demographic remains underexplored.

The hidden challenges faced by these individuals often go unrecognised, leading to unmet need and increased vulnerability. As the population ages and obesity rates continue to rise, it is imperative that our social care systems adapt to meet these evolving needs.

Our research makes clear the need for increased awareness among healthcare professionals to better support older adults with obesity, with policy reforms, training programmes that address weight bias and the development of care plans that address the specific barriers faced by this group."

Dr. Gargi Ghosh, Lead Author, Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)