It’s time to re-think how we approach aging in the U.S.
As more and more Baby Boomers pass their 65th birthday, our country is undergoing a tremendous demographic change. In the next 25 years, America’s senior population will double, and as America’s population ages, we know we must be attentive not just to how long we’re living, but also to how well.
Today we are proud to release the second edition of America’s Health Rankings® Senior Report, our way of tracking how well our society is doing in promoting wellbeing among older Americans. Last year we led the way with our first comprehensive report on senior health, and this year’s edition builds on the findings from that important inaugural report.
The good news is this year’s report reveals encouraging signs that seniors are engaging more with their health, taking greater control of their lifestyles and their health care choices. They are more active this year, with physical inactivity decreasing from 30.3 percent last year to 28.7 percent of seniors this year. Seniors are also making sure that they are receiving the end-of-life care that’s best for them. Also encouraging is the reduction in preventable hospitalizations among seniors (decrease from 66.6 to 64.9 discharges per 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries)—a hopeful sign that people are receiving more comprehensive, patient-centered care.
While we should celebrate these gains, we must remember that states face serious challenges—and, as we mentioned, a growing senior population—so it’s important to focus on continuing to improve. We need to grapple with unhealthy behaviors in order to make much-needed progress against diabetes, heart disease and other chronic health conditions. A staggering one in three seniors has four or more chronic conditions.
Of course, what America’s Health Rankings is known for is looking at these measures for senior health on a state-by-state basis. Leading the way is Minnesota, a state that was first for all health determinants combined (though like any state, it has its challenges too, which we detail in the report). Hawaii is ranked second and New Hampshire is third, followed by Vermont and Massachusetts. Mississippi is the least healthy state for older adults while Louisiana (49), Kentucky (48), Oklahoma (47), and Arkansas (46) complete the bottom five states.
To see where your state ranked, and to learn more about its biggest challenges and its greatest successes, visit our website.
We want to remind everyone that regardless of your state’s rank, one of the simplest – and most fundamental – things you can do is initiate a conversation about aging in your family and your community. Aging should not be a topic people shy away from; we must all begin these conversations so we can work together to foster a culture that celebrates aging and enables us to make the most of all our years of life. If you need some resources to get started, we recommend those offered by the American Geriatrics Society’s Health in Aging Foundation, your local Area Agency on Aging, the Administration for Community Living and the National Institute on Aging. Finally, Aging with Dignity offers a “Five Wishes” document that can help families begin the fundamental conversations they need to have to ensure healthful, empowered aging.