Online course aims to train senior nutrition workers as demand rises
Iowa State researchers say aging demographics are straining meal programs and increasing the need for practical workforce training.
By Priya Raghavan · Science Reporter
3 min read
A free online course for senior nutrition workers is drawing strong interest as U.S. meal programs for older adults face rising demand, according to Iowa State University researchers. Their study says the aging of the U.S. population is putting more pressure on the workers who run congregate meals, home-delivered meal services and nutrition education.
The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics, points to a sharp demographic shift. The researchers reported that Americans age 65 and older increased from 43.1 million in 2012 to 57.8 million in 2022, a 34% rise, and are projected to total 88.8 million by 2060.
Sarah Francis, a Morrill professor of food science and human nutrition at Iowa State and an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach food and health specialist, co-authored the study. Iowa State said Francis and her team helped develop and evaluate the Instructional Campus on Aging Nutrition, known as ican!, with the National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging.
The National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging was managed through a partnership involving the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Aging and Disability Services, and Iowa State University, according to the university. The course was designed with Iowa State Online and launched in 2024.
Training gaps in a growing field
The national senior nutrition program operates under the Older Americans Act and provides millions of meals each year through dining sites, home delivery and nutrition education, according to Iowa State. The researchers said the workforce supporting those services includes many early-career employees and faces uneven access to training.
The ican! course followed a national needs assessment of 1,910 senior nutrition professionals, Iowa State said. That assessment identified training needs in business skills, diversified funding, inclusive menu planning and Older Americans Act requirements.
Francis said 42.6% of those surveyed had worked in senior nutrition for two years or less, and nearly half served rural areas. The researchers said those figures show a workforce increasingly dependent on newer employees who may have limited experience with federal nutrition policy, menu standards and the daily operations of meal programs for older adults.
Course users report practical benefits
The ican! program includes 10 modules with short videos, quizzes and additional resources, according to Iowa State. Francis and her colleagues surveyed about 800 senior nutrition professionals who had completed at least one module.
Those participants reported strong agreement that the course improved their knowledge, confidence and ability to use the material at work, Francis said. She also said nearly 90% planned to complete more modules.
The research team also interviewed a small group of respondents, according to Iowa State. Participants described using the course to train new employees, revise menus, improve food safety practices and support organizational planning.
Several interviewees said the course helped explain Older Americans Act requirements, Francis reported. One participant told the Iowa State researchers that the videos were clear enough to use when directing newly hired staff to training materials.
Limits beyond training
The Iowa State researchers said online training can help support senior nutrition workers, but cannot solve broader problems facing meal programs. Francis said some interviewees cited understaffing, tight budgets and slow administrative steps as barriers to putting new practices in place.
Other respondents pointed to turnover as a challenge for consistent training, according to Francis. The researchers said accessible training such as ican! should be paired with broader investments in staff and infrastructure as the older adult population grows.
The study was co-authored by Catherine Rudolph, a May 2026 graduate of Iowa State’s doctoral program in nutritional science, and Eva Wood, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in diet and exercise from Iowa State this spring, according to the university.
This story draws on original reporting from Medical Xpress.