Survey: L.A. Seniors Confident About Health, Despite Chronic Ailments
Ninety percent of elderly residents of Los Angeles are confident that they will maintain a high quality of life as they age, even though 70% have two or more chronic conditions and nearly 50% did not set any health goals in the past year, according to nationwide survey released by the National Council on Aging, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Survey Details
NCOA partnered with USA Today and UnitedHealthcare to conduct the survey (Alpert, Los Angeles Times, 7/29).
Researchers polled 4,000 adults across the country -- including 250 living in L.A. -- between April 4 and May 3. They collected information on:
- Age;
- Gender;
- Income;
- Marital status; and
- Race.
Findings
Nearly 75% of seniors living in L.A. said they believed their health status would remain consistent or improve within the next decade. However, about 26% reported that their health within the past year was worse than normal or worse than they ever have experienced.
The report also found that among elderly L.A. residents:
- 48% have not set any specific health care management goals in the past year;
- Only 24% in the past year have developed an action plan for managing health problems; and
- 13% never exercise for 30 minutes or more.
In addition, L.A. seniors with one or more chronic health problems reported several barriers to receiving health care, including a lack of:
- Energy, as reported by 18% of respondents;
- Money, as reported by 12% of respondents;
- Willpower, as reported by 11% of respondents; and
- Health insurance, as reported by 6% of respondents.
Nearly 20% of L.A. seniors said the city should invest in more affordable health care services to support seniors (NCOA survey, July 2013).
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