LONG
BEACH, Calif., Sept. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SCAN Health Plan®,
one of the nation's largest not-for-profit Medicare Advantage health plans,
today announced results from its national survey on aging in place. Responses
from 1,000 U.S. adults ages 65 and older indicate that 62% believe most seniors
they know are unlikely to be able to safely age in place. Having adequate
financial resources, coupled with friends or family nearby, top the list of
factors seniors consider when evaluating where they will grow old.
"Roughly
10,000 baby boomers turn 65 each day, and we understand their priority is to
remain in their own homes as they age," stated Romilla Batra, chief
medical officer of SCAN. "However, these survey findings reaffirm that
financial, logistical, physical and behavioral barriers are likely to prevent
many from doing so. As the healthcare industry rightly turns its focus to these
social determinants of health, we remain committed to addressing these issues,
as we have for more than 40 years."
SCAN's
2019 survey of nationally representative seniors was designed to gauge
sentiments on preparedness to age in place, and to assess their perception of
potential impacts on their own mental health and physical well-being. Results
reveal 88% of respondents are concerned about their ability to age in place,
with a variety of factors contributing to their concerns:
·
80% worry how they'll afford to stay in their home
·
79% consider proximity to friends and family as a factor
contributing to their ability to age in place
·
Access to transportation assistance for such necessary errands
as buying groceries is a consideration for 66% of respondents
While
finances consistently top Americans' lists of concerns, seniors—who often live
on fixed incomes—are particularly vulnerable. Among senior men, 51% believe
financial resources are most important to the ability to age in place, compared
to 36% of women. Even knowing that finances can make all the difference during
retirement, a majority remain unprepared. Nearly 73% of city-dwelling older
adults have less than $10,000 in savings compared to 63% of those in rural
areas and 52% of those in suburban areas. Perhaps most concerning, 28% of
seniors have nothing at all in savings, including investments or retirement
plans.
Seeing
their peers unable to live life on their own terms, seniors are rethinking
their own readiness to age in place. In assessing people they know, 67% of
seniors cite changes to physical health—such as injury or loss of mobility—as
the bigger challenge for aging in place, while 34% say changes to brain health,
such as memory loss or Alzheimer's, are the main challenge. Furthermore, 61%
have friends who have had a severe decrease in physical abilities; 45% have
friends who have lost the ability to drive; and 45% know people who have
sustained an injury from an accident, such as a fall.
"As
seniors see their friends and peers falter, they begin to doubt their own
prospects of successfully aging in place," added Batra. "It's
imperative that seniors are given the resources and support necessary to
maintain their sense of independence and truly flourish as they age. These
findings give additional insight into what people face as they make decisions
impacting their ability to age on their own terms, which most often means in
their own home."
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