Tag Archives for baby boomer

National survey says care for older adults needs urgent rethinking 

Published in RINewsToday on January 27, 2025

With President Trump’s administration beginning and a new Congress poised to rethink, among other issues, Social Security, Medicare and federal aging programs and services, it might be prudent for the president and lawmakers to take a quick glance at the findings of a recently released national survey, “Meeting the Growing Demand for Age-Friendly Care: Health Care at the Crossroads.”

This 52-page national report, was released on Sept. 17, 2024 by Emeryville, California-based Age Wave, a think tank that studies the social, financial, healthcare, and business impacts of aging and The John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF), a New York based-foundation dedicated to improving care of older adults. The survey was conducted by The Harris Poll, a marking and analytic company tracking public opinion in existence for over sixty years ago.  

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, America’s population of adults over 65 is expected to skyrocket, from 56.1 million in 2020 to 82.1 million by 2050. The enormous  increase in the number of older adults is forcing states, Congress, and the private sector to rethink their approaches to health care, social services, housing and more, to help older adults live well as they age.

As millions of Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) age, living longer than previous generations and seeking ways to maintain wellness and independence to age in place, this nationwide survey shows deep dissatisfaction among older Americans aged 65 and over with health care and services they receive that do not meet their specific needs and preferences. 

Finding Policy Solutions to Maximize “Golden Years”

The national survey reported that four in five older adults (82%) say the U.S. health care system is not prepared for the growing and changing needs of America’s aging population. Just one in 10 (11%) give the health care system an ‘A’ grade. Instead of the status quo, older adults say they want solutions that will maximize their golden years, like interventions that make care more affordable, innovations to reduce or prevent cognitive decline and health care providers who understand what matters most to them when assessing care options.

“Older adults are stuck in a health care system that is not responsive to their goals and preferences. Boomers want health care that maximizes their health and ability to function, and they want their providers to listen to them,” said Terry Fulmer, JAHF’s president, in a Sept. 17 statement announcing the release of the report. “It is not too late to pivot to age-friendly care, which prioritizes the needs and desires of older adults in their care plan. There are many innovative approaches to help older adults live every year to its fullest, not just increase the number of years they live,” she says.

International longevity and aging expert, Ken Dychtwald, founder and CEO of Age Wave, added: “The United States is on the brink of an age wave of unprecedented proportions, and American health care requires a radical and immediate rethink to match our health spans, or being able to live every year to its fullest, to our lifespans.”

Dychtward urged policy and business leaders to prepare for older adults making up a large and growing percentage of the U.S. population. “Everyone knows this day has been coming, but our survey shows that older adults do not like the choices or care currently offered to them. And the fact that although we spend more per capita on health care than any country in the world yet have worse lifespans and health spans is cause for alarm,” he said.

The age 65 and over survey respondents called for America’s health care system to offer “age-friendly care.” Most older adults (94%) say it is more important to maintain quality of life than it is to live as long as possible.

Only three in five older adults with a health care provider (58%) report that their providers currently ask about what matters to them. Though older adults fear Alzheimer’s and dementia more than any other health condition, for example, less than half (40%) say their health care providers routinely evaluate their cognitive health and brain functioning. Similarly, less than half of older adults (45%) say their health care providers evaluate their mental health, and although the ability to walk freely without pain is top of mind for older adults, just 55% say their medical care providers evaluate their mobility and physical fitness. 

The national survey findings indicated that the older respondents say that there are not enough qualified care providers. Nearly all older adults (94%) say that health care providers should be trained on the unique health issues of people 65 or older, but only 10% of medical schools require a rotation in geriatric care, compared to 96% that require a rotation in pediatric care. 

Between 2000 and 2022, the U.S. population of adults aged 65 and older rose 60%, but the number of geriatricians dropped by a whopping 28%. says the report. 

Not surprisingly, the survey findings indicate that health care costs are viewed as “unaffordable” and of a bigger concern to older adults than living expenses, inflation, tax increases and an economic downturn or recession. For instance, just 16% give an ‘A’ grade to satisfaction with their out-of-pocket costs. Older adults are especially concerned with the cost of long-term care, stressing that one of their greatest concerns is not being able to afford future health and long-term care needs (68%), and that the government should prioritize having Medicare cover long-term care (80%).

Differing Views of the Quality of Nursing Home Care

An estimated 36 million Americans have a family member or friend living in a nursing home or memory care facility today, according to the survey. Just 37% of those adults ages 18+ say their family member or friend living in a nursing home or memory care facility receives high-quality care. Only half (50%) say these facilities are the safest place for them.

There must be more coordination between primary care providers and other health care providers. While 52% of Medicare beneficiaries see more than three physicians per year, half of older adults from the survey say their primary care provider does not coordinate their treatment with their other health care providers. The report notes that this may be attributed to the increasing shortage of primary care providers, which makes it less likely for people to have a usual source of primary care or long-term relationship with a primary care provider.

As noted in Primary Care in Rhode Island, in 2024, from 200,000 to 400,000 Rhode Islanders lack access to a primary care provider, resulting in a shortage of 133 to 266 primary care physicians to treat them.

Finally, more than half of older adults (56%) say it is challenging and very stressful to navigate the current health care system, while nearly two in three (62%) say health insurance plans provide too many confusing choices. Research has shown that more than half (55%) mistakenly believe Medicare will cover a long-term stay in a nursing home, the report added.

As the new Congress begins its debate on aging policy, regardless of political party, the national survey reports that their older constituents want public policies enacted that support quality care.  The survey findings indicate that adding long-term care to what Medicare covers is supported by most Republicans (76%), Democrats (84%) and independents or people with other political affiliations (79%). Additionally, there is bipartisan support for improving quality at U.S. nursing homes also earns bipartisan support (Republicans 62% support, Democrats 68% support, independents or people with other political affiliations 65% support). 

“Better federal and state policies can encourage the development of age-friendly health systems, that focus on improving patients’ well-being and quality of life,” predicts JAHF’s Fulmer. “Policies could include new options for affording long-term care insurance and developing a federal strategy to ensure disadvantaged populations are prioritized in a national strategy for age-friendly care,” she says.

Report Offers 5 Key Suggestions to Improve Care to older Americans 

After reviewing all survey findings, JAHF identified five key recommendations to improve health care provided to older adults and to promote healthier, happier aging.

JAHF calls for promoting age-friendly care that can assist the nation’s older adults maintain their health, ability to function, thus maintaining their independence in the community. Pursuing scientific breakthroughs could bring the end to diseases like Alzheimer’s adds JAHF, calling for social isolation must be addressed. 

Assist family caregivers with skill-building tools, policies that allow flexibility in taking paid leave and ensuring care providers coordinate among multiple providers the health care system easier to navigate. 

Finally, JAHF calls for the creation of a ‘national master plan for aging’ that will be focused on meeting the needs of older adults. This plan would identify and address barriers that contribute to inequities, also creating a strategic plan that would provide a roadmap to reform the financing of long-term care, enhance the quality of nursing home care and to create systems to assist people to age in place at home rather than being admitted to acute and congregate settings. 

“We are at a unique crossroads. However, changing America’s health care system to meet older adults’ expectations is possible, practical and could lead to greater health at a far lower cost—and can benefit the government, private enterprise and consumers,” said Dychtwald. “Older adults deserve health care partners who understand what they are going through, have the skills to most effectively support their patients and act on what their customers want,” he says.

The Nuts and Bolts Behind the Study 

The study was conducted by Age Wave on behalf of The John A. Hartford Foundation and in partnership with The Harris Poll. After thorough review of secondary research and through qualitative research with older adults through online focus groups, a  nationally representative online survey was conducted from April 17 to May 9, 2024. Of 5,023 adult (age 18+) respondents, 2,516 were age 65 and older. Data were weighted where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population, including by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, household income, size of household, marital status, and political party affiliation. 

Note:  The full report, Meeting the Growing . for Age-Friendly Care: Health Care at the Crossroads, can be found at https://www.johnahartford.org/images/uploads/resources/The_Growing_Demand_for_Age-Friendly_Care_Report_FINAL.pdf.

To watch the “Webinar: What Older Adults Want: Emerging Breakthroughs & Opportunities for Age-Friendly Care, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK6D4-G3KPw.

Study: One in Five Americans Are Unpaid Family Caregivers

Published in the Woonsocket Call on May 17, 2020

As the nation sees a growing number of aging baby boomers, workforce shortages in health care and long-term care settings, increased state funding for community-based services, and a growing number of seniors requiring assistance in their daily activities, caregivers are needed more than ever. According to a recently released report from National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and AARP, an increasing number of unpaid family caregivers are stepping up to the plate to care for their older family members or friends. The caregiver report’s findings indicate that the number of family caregivers in the United States increased by 9.5 million from 2015 (43.5 million) to 2020 (53 million) and now encompasses more than one in five Americans (19 percent).

First conducted in 1997, with follow up surveys in 2004, 2009 and 2015, the Caregiving in the U.S. studies are one of the most comprehensive resources describing the American caregiver. Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 was conducted by Greenwald &a Associates using a nationally representative, probability-based online panel. More than 1,700 caregivers who were age 18 or older participated in the survey in 2019.

Demand for Caregiving Rising as Nation’s Population Gets Older

The 107-page Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 report also reveals that family caregivers are in worse health compared to five years ago. As the demand for caregiving rises with the graying of the nation’s population, the report calls for more be done to support this vital work.

“As we face a global pandemic, we’re relying on friends and family to care for the older adults and people living with disabilities in our lives,” notes C. Grace Whiting, JD, President and CEO of NAC, in a May 14 statement announcing the release of this report. “Caregivers are essential to the nation’s public health, and the magnitude of millions of Americans providing unpaid care means that supporting caregivers can no longer be ignored, she says, noting that report’s findings reveals that growing need.

According to Whiting, family caregivers care for more people than five years ago and they take on more care responsibilities as roughly one in four care for two or more people. “Many individuals are caring for a longer time, with nearly a third (29 percent) of caregivers nationwide reporting they have been caregiving for five years or more—up from 24 percent in the last study,” states Whiting.

Who are today’s caregivers?

This new caregiver study shows that 39 percent are men and 61 percent are women. The average age is 49.4 years. The profile of the family caregiver is also changing, too. While caregiving spans across all generations, Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 found more young people providing care, including 6 percent who are Gen Z and 23 percent who are Millennials. Nearly half (45 percent) are caring for someone with two or more conditions—a significant jump from 37 percent in 2015.

As to ethnicity, the caregiver report notes that six in 10 are non-Hispanic White (61 percent), 17 percent are Hispanic, and 14 percent are African American.

The report’s findings indicate that one in 10 of the caregiver survey respondents are enrolled in college or taking classes (11 percent), 9 percent have served in the military and 8 percent self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender.

Caregivers in Poorer Health, Feeling Financial Strain

Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 also found that caregivers face health challenges of their own with nearly a quarter (23 percent of caregivers find it hard to take care of their own health and 23 percent say caregiving has made their health worse. The report also notes that personal finances are a concern for family caregivers: 28 percent have stopped saving money, 23 percent have taken on more debt and 22 percent have used up personal short-term savings.
Sixty one percent of the caregiver respondents work and have difficulty in coordinating care.

The May 2020 caregiver report states on average, caregivers spend 23.7 hours a week providing care, with one in three (32 percent) providing care for 21 hours or more, and one in five (21 percent) providing care for 41+ hours—the equivalent of a full-time unpaid job.

“The coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating the challenges family caregivers were already facing from a personal health, financial and emotional standpoint,” said Susan Reinhard, RN, PhD, Senior Vice President at AARP. “Family caregivers provide vital help and care for their loved ones, yet this survey shows that they keep getting stretched thinner and thinner. We must identify and implement more solutions to support family caregivers—both in the short term as we grapple with coronavirus and in the long term as our population ages and the number of family caregivers declines.”

: “Without greater explicit support for family caregivers in coordination among the public and private sectors and across multiple disciplines overall care responsibilities will likely intensify and place greater pressure on individuals within families, especially as baby boomers move into old age,” warns the report’s authors, calling on Congress and state lawmakers to develop policies that ensure that caregivers do not suffer deteriorating health effects and financial insecurity.

Thoughts from AARP Rhode Island…

“The wealth of information in this report is an essential guide to policymakers,” said AARP Rhode Island State Director Kathleen Connell. “It reveals important trends and underlines future needs. For AARP, it provides information on how, as an organization, we can best serve Rhode Island’s 136,000 family caregivers. The challenges they face vary, making it very important that we can provide focused resources that meet any one caregiver’s needs. The report’s overall takeaway – that the number of caregivers is rising dramatically – is a call for increased awareness and support. This responsibility starts at the very top of federal, state and municipal government and flows all the way down to family members who can better share caregiving responsibilities. Many will be asked to step outside their comfort zone, so we all will have to work together,” adds Connell.

Connell noted that the report points out the shift from traditional residential health care settings to community-based settings. “The research reaches a clear conclusion,” Connell observed. “Families will have to fill new roles, learn new skills and absorb more out of pocket caregiving expenses. This will create additional the stress for many family caregivers. That’s why it is so important that we develop the training, tools and other resources caregivers require.”

A 2019 AARP report, Valuing the Invaluable, calculated that Rhode Island family caregivers provide 114 million unpaid hours of care annually. Based on the average $15.76 per hour wages of paid caregivers, family caregivers represent an economic value of an estimated $1.8 billion.

The 2020 study was funded by AARP, Best Buy Health Inc. d/b/a Great Call, EMD Serono Inc., Home Instead Senior Care®, The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, The John A. Hartford Foundation, TechWerks, Transamerica Institute, and UnitedHealthcare.

For a copy of Caregiving in the U.S. 2020, go to
https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2020/05/full-report-caregiving-in-the-united-states.doi.10.26419-2Fppi.00103.001.pdf.

Sizing Up Baby Boomer Travel Trends

Published in the Woonsocket Call on December 16, 2018

Over a week ago, AARP Travel released the long-awaited results of its annual travel trend survey, examining travel behaviors across generations, looking at expectations and planning among Baby Boomers (ages 54 to 72), Gen Xers (38 to 53), and Millennials (ages 21 to 37).

According to the new national AARP survey, Boomers, considered to be enthusiastic travelers, expressed an eagerness to travel in 2019, planning to take a total of four to five leisure trips, on which they will spend over $6,600 (compared to Gen Xers spending $5,400 and Millennials outlaying $ 4,440.)

Meanwhile, a small number of the AARP survey’s respondents say they will only travel internationally (6 percent) while the rest are equally split between traveling throughout the nation (48 percent) or traveling both domestically and internationally (48 percent).

For Boomers, Planning a Trip is Not a Last Minute Chore

According to the 47-page 2019 Boomer Travel Trends report, released on Dec. 3, 2018, this year’s travel planning is taking place earlier as compared to previous years. A significant majority of Boomers (88 percent) planning domestic trips in 2019 have already selected their destination, an increase from 72 percent of 2018 domestic travelers. For Boomers traveling abroad, 31 percent had booked their 2019 trips by September 2018, up from 23 percent by September of the previous year in 2018 and 17 percent in 2017.

The AARP survey notes that when Boomers travel overseas, Europe continues to be the most popular choice followed by Italy and France. The findings also indicate that trips to the Caribbean and South and Central America remain popular, but interest in Mexico is waning.

For Boomers, domestic travel preferences have not changed in several years; Southern and Western states continue to be popular to most older travelers. Boomers are most likely to plan summer vacations (13 percent), weekend getaways (12 percent), and multi-generational trips (11 percent).

Travel destination preferences remain unchanged from last year, with Florida (17 percent) being the top-mentioned location followed by California (11%), New York (5%), Texas (5%), and Las Vegas (5%).

“According to this research, Boomers travel plans in 2019 are focused on spending time with family and friends, while getting away from everyday life,” said Patty David, Director Consumer Insights, and Personal Fulfillment in a statement. “Whether it’s a weekend road trip or an international vacation, Boomers are eager to travel in 2019 and are planning earlier and spending more than in year’s past.” she says.

The AARP Travel survey results also indicate that when traveling Boomers seek connection with locals for an authentic experience, especially over meals or when taking tours on international trips. Work was not found to be the biggest barrier to travel for older travelers, but cost (40 percent) and health issues/concerns (32 percent) were mentioned most often by the survey respondents.

Boomer respondents also tend to travel to get away from the day to day routines (47 percent) to relax (48 percent), and to spend time with family and friends (57 percent). Twenty four percent of the boomers say they have placed taking an international vacation on their life’s bucket list.

Researchers also took a look at intergeneration travel trends, too. Thirty-two percent of grandparents have taken their grandkids on a skip-generation trip, leaving mom and pop at home, and 15 percent of these older travelers are already planning to do so in 2019. Seventy-seven percent of these Boomers will do most of the trip planning themselves and 76 percent will pay for most of the trip.

Working Boomers do not feel compelled to stay connected to the office while traveling but for those who choose to will limit contact time, says the AARP survey’s finding. A few have even taken the opportunity to extend work trips for pleasure and fun or intend to do so in future trips.

Finally, most of the AARP survey respondents say they travel with a smartphone on domestic trips, but about only half choose to bring them on international trips. The top use for these phones while on vacation is to take photos.

Boomer Travel Trends in the Nation’s Smallest State

Lara Salamano, Chief Marketing Officer of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, sees tourism as an important industry in the state. “It is the fifth-largest industry in R.I. by employment, and in 2017, the total traveler economy reached $6.5 billion,” she says.

“Multigenerational vacations featuring extended stays in vacation rentals or weekend family getaways are very popular here in the Ocean State,” says Salamano, noting that tourists are taking full advantage of the state’s authentic experiences, specifically great food, historic, natural beauty including its beaches, walking and bike trails and cultural attractions. “We also have a great array of soft adventure activities for the whole family. This is a case where our size works to our advantage as families can easily experience a wide range of different activities in a short period of time,” she adds.

Salamano notes that water, sailing, horse-riding on the beach, golf also attracts Boomers, too. Rhode Island is playing host to the U.S.G.A. Senior Open in 2020, she adds.

In addition, Boomers are big shoulder season travelers as they are not tied down by school vacation period. They are free to enjoy midweek and off-peak times of year to avoid higher prices, she says…

While summer remains the state’s most popular tourism season, the state’s Marketing Office has identified shoulder seasons as growth opportunities, says Salamano, noting that “Our most popular trip is domestic travelers living within a three-hour drive.

Salamano sees the Ocean States as quite different from those popular travel destinations chosen by the respondents of this year’s AARP’s Travel Survey. “Those destinations are also much larger, whereas Rhode Island’s small size ensures visitors are spending less time driving in traffic or waiting in lines, and more time actually on vacation. This was the jumping off point for our “Fun Sized” ad campaign which we rolled out last year,” she said. To see Fun Sized videos, go to http://www.visitrhodeisland.com/press/fun-sized-campaign/.

Getting the Bang for Your Marketing Dollars

According to Salamano, Rhode Island’s public relations strategy targeting Millennials involves pitching journalists on Rhode Island’s newest offerings such as new craft breweries and wineries, restaurants, special events, and hotel accommodations. This has led to placements national publications (including the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, and Forbes) as well as more targeted publications such as the Boston Globe, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and TimeOutNewYork.

Digital ads are targeted to both Boomers and Millennials. “We have a robust advertising strategy, including digital ad placements to target audiences on websites that include travel planning sites and news publications. Digital advertising allows us to both target audiences and track our performance very effectively. Our ‘Fun Sized’ videos feature a wide variety of activities that appeal to both Baby Boomers and Millennials. This includes rock climbing, horseback riding and bird watching, to music, performances, restaurants and WaterFire,” says Salamano.

To read the full AARP Travel survey results, go to http://www.aarp.org/2019traveltrends. For more information, contact Vicki Gelfeld at vgelfeld@aarp.org.