Posted on 08/22/2007 9:43:53 AM PDT by DancesWithCats
CARMEL, N.Y. - Putnam County wants to stop handing out free doughnuts at senior centers because of health worries, but patrons say they're old enough to decide what they eat.
The Office for the Aging has been getting free "day old" doughnuts from local doughnut shops, delis and stores, and then passing them out at the county's five centers.
But nutritionists have questioned if the doughnuts are good for the over 65 set, which is susceptible to high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
The issue has been turned over to the Putnam County Legislature which will debate in the coming weeks if the free doughnuts should be given out.
Legislator Sam Olivierio, who heads the legislature's Health Committee, said the seniors should be allowed to make their own decisions. They are, after all, adults.
He said one man at the center told him "'senior citizens not senile citizens."'
William Huestis, director of the county's Office for the Aging, said what started as a good idea of having free doughnuts has turned around. His staff is against handing out the free treats, because the elderly have more health problems.
About a thousand seniors total head to the county's five nutrition centers each day for lunch.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
Putnam County officials had proposed prohibiting free, day-old doughnuts from the county's five senior centers, which serve about 1,000 lunches each day. Nutritionists questioned whether the doughnuts were suitable snacks for people over 65.
Seniors rebelled, saying they're mature enough to decide what they eat. Some 250 people signed a petition blasting the proposal as a crummy idea.
On Tuesday, county officials proposed a compromise: Small amounts of doughnuts, cakes and other baked goods could be served at the centers - but they have to be eaten elsewhere.
The issue isn't just fat and calories, officials said.
"We were seeing huge amounts of days-old items coming in," said county Office for the Aging coordinator Doreen Crane. "Some of it was visibly moldy."
The suggested compromise isn't enough for seniors.
"Ludicrous," said Joe Hajkowski, 75, who launched the petition drive even though he doesn't eat doughnuts. "I don't like the way they are treating the seniors."
Unbelievable!! Keep yer tofu fer yerself, wackadoodle!!
yep, let’s get celery sticks and tofu for these older folks.
Imagine telling a 90 year old not to eat a doughnut as it’s bad for their health. Geez, most of us don’t make it to 90 in the first place.
no kidding!!! At 90, if ALL he wants to eat is doughnuts and coffee, it’s HIS or HER business!!
(From Little Miss Sunshine)
Frank: “You started snorting heroin?!”
Grandpa: “I’m eighty!”
Frank: “You know that stuff’ll kill you.”
Grandpa: “What am I, an idiot?”
Grandpa: (to Dwayne): “And don’t you get ideas. When you’re young, you’re crazy to do that s-—.”
Frank: “And what about you?”
Grandpa: “Me? I’m old! You get to be my age...you’re crazy NOT to do it.
God save us from these meddlesome nazi peabrains.
Yeah, boy ... !
ROFLOL!
These food Nazis need to remember that in many times and places food that was just calories, even “empty calories” were still good for one.
If a laborer in Honduras eats healthy fruits, tortillas, beans, and even a piece of chicken once in a while that is great unless his diet adds up to 2200 calories per day and he needs 3000 per day due to his work. Some people could benefit greatly from a few doughnuts per day.
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