American Seniors See Need for Aging In Place Resources

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Seniors believe there exists an "urgent need" for affordable social supports to enable successful aging in place, according to a  survey conducted by Gallup and West Health, a nonprofit healthcare policy institute.  The survey results, various statements, reactions, and analysis were reported in an article entitled "Gallup: US seniors perceive major need for aging-in-place resources," published in McKnights Home Care. 

The surveyors polled nearly 2,200 adults in the US to determine their perception of seniors’ need for aging support. A total of 60% of respondents indicated that older adults need more affordable resources to allow them to live independently as long as possible. Women were slightly more likely than men to identify such need, and only 10% of respondents disagreed and saw no need for more affordable aging-in-place resources.

Timothy Lash, president of West Health, issued a statement stating:

“America is facing a profound demographic shift that requires new thinking and smart planning that cuts across multiple sectors from housing and healthcare to transportation and social services.  This survey shows Americans sense the need, and now policymakers need to sense the urgency and develop plans that better reflect an older America.”

More than one in five adults said that they believe there is a major need for better mental health services. Less than one third said that it is easy to access physical health resources in their community. 

Adam Healy, writing for McKnights wrote: 

The need for enhanced community-based health supports is especially pertinent given the growing population of seniors in the US, Gallup and West Health said. More than one in five US adults will be age 65 or older by 2030, outnumbering people under 18 years old for the first time in history. The surveyors noted that most Americans believe the country is not prepared to adequately serve this rapidly aging population, and called for lawmakers to address seniors’ growing need for health resources.

Dan Witters, a senior researcher at Gallup, said in a statement:

"These findings demonstrate the American public is well aware of the need to be better prepared as the population ages.  Now it’s a question of what policymakers and other stakeholders will do to address the need and the urgency.”

The most important takeaway from the survey is that seniors understand at some level the obstacles to aging in place.  Seniors understand that aging in place requires planning and resources, desire to age in place, and perceive a lack of assistance and resources in the legal,  health care, and financial systems to meet their needs.  Seniors and their families would be well advised to plan early for aging in place. If you want to attend an aging in place planning workshop, email Christine, chris@donohew.com.