help them do so
From home safety and accessibility, to social support, community services
and paid in-home help, National Poll on Healthy Aging shows varied preparation
Date:
April 13, 2022
Source:
University of Michigan
Summary:
The vast majority of people over 50 say it's important that they
keep living in their current homes for as long as possible. But
a new poll shows many of them haven't planned or prepared for
'aging in place,' and a sizable percentage might have a hard time
paying for in-home help.
FULL STORY ==========================================================================
The vast majority of people over 50 say it's important that they keep
living in their current homes for as long as possible. But a new poll
shows many of them haven't planned or prepared for "aging in place,"
and a sizable percentage might have a hard time paying for in-home help.
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The pandemic's toll on older adults, especially those in nursing homes
and other long-term care facilities, has brought the issue of living independently at home into the national spotlight. So have policy
proposals around changing the ability of Medicare and Medicaid to pay
for virtual care and in-home help.
But the new findings from the National Poll on Healthy Aging suggest many people in their 50s, 60s and 70s need to do more to modify their homes or
plan for services they may need if they want to avoid or delay needing
to move. The poll also shows differences in aging-in-place readiness
among the 28% of older adults who told the poll that they live alone.
The poll is based at U-M's Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation
and supported by AARP and Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan's academic medical center.
In all, 88% of people between the ages of 50 and 80 said it was very
or somewhat important to them that they live in their homes as long
as possible.
But only 15% said they've given a lot of consideration to how their home
may need to be modified as they age, while 47% have given it little or
no thought.
Meanwhile, 48% of those who live alone said they don't have someone in
their lives who could help them with personal care such as bathing and
dressing if needed, compared with 27% of those who live with others.
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As for hiring help, 19% of older adults are very confident they could
afford to pay someone to help with household chores, grocery shopping,
personal care or managing their finances. On the other hand, nearly
two-thirds of those who called their current physical or mental health
status fair or poor said they were not confident or not very confident
that they could afford to pay for such help.
"The pandemic's impact on older adults, and policy proposals about
home-based services at the federal and state level, mean this is a topic
of immediate importance," said Sheria Robinson-Lane, assistant professor
at the U-M School of Nursing and IHPI member who worked with the poll
team on the report.
"Especially for those without as much social support, or with more
health needs, it's important to take a proactive approach and plan
for the future now." Poll director Preeti Malani, U-M Medical School infectious disease professor also trained in geriatrics, said that older
adults should explore with their health care providers and local social
service agencies the kinds of support available to them, and talk with
loved ones about their goals.
"Taking steps to understand what's available in the community, through
the national Eldercare Locator, the Area Agency on Aging that serves
your region, nonprofit organizations and other sources could help older
adults be more prepared," she said.
"Family members can help encourage older adults to find out what's
available, to invest in home improvements, and to aid them in installing
safety devices and technologies that can help keep them aging in
place. Think of it as a positive investment toward current safety and
future independence -- that can help older adults get past the temptation
to put it off for another day." More findings
==========================================================================
The poll finds that 1 in 5 older adults had moved in the past five
years. About half of those who moved said they had moved to a home that
was easier to get around, while half also said their new home was smaller.
Wherever they live now, 34% said their home definitely has the necessary features that would let them age in place, and 49% said they had at
least one 'smart home' device.
But the poll drilled down to ask about specific features and technologies.
While 88% had a main-floor bathroom and 78% had a bedroom on the main
floor, which could reduce the need to climb stairs and reduce fall risk,
fewer older adults had other features.
For instance, 32% said they had grab bars in the bathroom, and less than
10% had safety-focused technologies such as alarms on their stoves or
personal emergency response systems. Only 7% said they had a barrier-free shower, and 9% said that it was difficult to use the main rooms in their
home because of clutter or large amounts of possessions there.
"AARP research consistently shows that the majority of older
adults want to stay in their homes and communities for as long as
possible," said Indira Venkat, vice president of consumer insights at
AARP. "Unfortunately, most houses weren't built to support the needs of
people across the many stages of life. The best way to continue living in
the home you love is to plan ahead and make changes that will accomodate
your needs today and in the future." In late 2021, AARP published a
report on the preferences of adults over 18 about their future home and community circumstances, including the ability to age in place.
The poll report is based on findings from a nationally representative
survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for IHPI, and administered online and via phone in January and February 2022 among
nearly 2,277 older adults ages 50-80. The sample was subsequently weighted
to reflect the U.S.
population.
Poll:
https://www.healthyagingpoll.org/reports-more
========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Michigan. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.
==========================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220413203139.htm
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