The 2014 United States of Aging Survey finds Americans 60 and older report they are more motivated than the past two years to improve their health by exercising regularly and setting health goals, according to a press release from the National Council on Aging (NCOA).
The results of the survey were released at the 39th Annual n4a Conference & Tradeshow in Dallas as part of a larger effort led by n4a, NCOA, UnitedHealthcare, and USA Today to examine seniors’ attitudes on a range of issues such as health, finances, and community support.
According to this third annual survey, more than one-third of seniors (37 percent) exercise every day, compared with 26 percent in 2013.
Other highlights of the survey include:
- 53 percent of seniors set health goals in 2014, compared with 47 percent in 2013 with the top three health goals being eating healthier, losing weight, and living a more physically active lifestyle.
- 39 percent of seniors look to themselves to stay motivated and live a healthy lifestyle, 26 percent say their spouse motivates them, and 15 percent say their adult children do.
- Finances are ranked among the least important factors driving seniors' optimism. The top three factors are faith or spirituality (25 percent), a loving family (15 percent), and keeping a positive attitude (14 percent). A happy marriage or relationship (9 percent), taking care of one’s health (9 percent), and staying mentally and physically active (6 percent each) also outweighed finances.
- 54 percent feel their community is doing enough to prepare for the needs of a growing senior population, but younger seniors are less likely to agree: only 48 percent of seniors 60-64 feel their communities are doing enough.
- Top services seniors say they will need help with as they age are home maintenance, transportation, and long-term care; however, some seniors say their communities are not currently fulfilling these needs.
- Home maintenance support is critical for some seniors, since more than 3 in 4 (77 percent) say they intend to stay in their current home for the rest of their lives, and more than half (53 percent) say they would prefer to live independently for the remainder of their senior years.
- Older Americans are most worried about “not being able to take care of myself”, “losing my memory”, and “being a burden”; however, a majority of seniors feel confident that they are prepared for changes in their health as they age.
- Low-income seniors say they rely on themselves most for motivation to stay healthy or get healthier although they are less likely to have set health goals for themselves this year than in 2013.
- Socially-isolated seniors are also more concerned about needing help from community programs as they age compared with seniors nationally (36 percent and 26 percent, respectively), and are more likely to express concern about being able to age in place.
