The United States of Aging Survey National Findings 2

Ageing in Place

Older Americans are striving to age in place, despite physical and economic difficulties in some cases.

Nine in 10 seniors intend to continue living in their current homes over the next five to 10 years.

Leading reasons for wanting to stay in their current homes include liking where they currently live (85 percent), having family and friends nearby (66 percent) and not wanting to deal with the hassle of moving (50 percent).

Finances also play a role in this decision: 26 percent of seniors planning to age in place say they cannot afford the cost of moving their belongings, and more than one in five (23 percent) believe their home would not sell in the current market.

The vast majority of all age groups report high levels of confidence that they will be able to stay in their homes without having to make any significant home modifications (85 percent of respondents aged 60 to 64; 82 percent of respondents aged 65 to 69; 86 percent of respondents aged 70 or older).

Nearly one in five baby boomers aged 60 to 64 (18 percent) believe the housing options available to them are unaffordable.

Community Resources and Support

Many seniors are concerned that community resources will be spread thin as boomers continue to age. While more than half (56 percent) of all seniors surveyed report that they are satisfied with the resources and services their community offers now, almost one quarter (23 percent) have little or no confidence that these resources will be available over the next five to 10 years.

Half of older Americans believe that their community aids their ability to lead a happy and healthy life. Nearly as many – 42 percent – feel their community has no bearing on their health or happiness.

Among respondents aged 65 to 69, 28 percent report little to no confidence that their community will have the resources and services they need to live an independent lifestyle in the next five to 10 years.

Additionally, 40 percent of older Americans say that they do not visit the senior and community centers in their region enough to have an opinion about the quality of the programming and events available.

When it comes to getting around their neighbourhood, responses are mixed. The majority of respondents (83 percent) feel safe when they walk in their community, but more than a third (34 percent) do not believe that high-quality transportation services are currently available.