[Vision2020] Best States for Healthy Retirement

[Kenneth Marcy]

*Best States for Healthy Retirement**
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*http://tinyurl.com/jx9g5z8
*


The number of senior citizens living in the United States is expected to 
double in the next 25 years. The aging baby boom generation and improved 
medical technology will lead to significant increased demand for health 
care, palliative care, and other industries specifically tailored to the 
aging population.

Some states are likely better prepared than others for the growing 
elderly population. In these states, senior citizens tend to live much 
longer, healthier, more enjoyable lives than in other states. Based on 
data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24/7 
Wall St. reviewed the health of retirement age adults in each of the 50 
states.

Being more prone to disease and injury, older Americans need to take 
care of their health even more than younger Americans. For example, 
regular physical activity is important for the young and old to prevent 
a variety of health conditions, but it has additional importance for 
senior citizens because it is crucial in reducing the risk of falls, 
according to the CDC. Falling is the leading cause of fatal and 
non-fatal injuries for the elderly, and 31.7% of older Americans report 
falling and injuring themselves each year.

*Click here to see the best states for healthy retirement. 
<http://247wallst.com/special-report/2016/08/17/best-states-for-healthy-retirement/2/>*

Similarly, obesity is one of the leading risk factors of 
life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, and 
hypertension across the population as a whole, and these conditions are 
more common among senior citizens. Eating healthy and exercising are, 
for this reason, perhaps more important for senior citizens.

As individuals age, the risks and consequences of certain diseases and 
illnesses increase. For example, the CDC reports that between 80% to 90% 
of all flu-related deaths occur in people 65 and older. The elderly are 
also at greater risk of certain cancers.

Since older Americans are more vulnerable in many ways, it is important 
they receive preventative medical treatments and screenings. If proper 
precautions are taken, the seasonal flu can be preventable and certain 
cancers can be caught early enough that treatment is more likely to be 
successful. Nationwide, 66.9% of retirement age adults have had a flu 
shot in the past year, and 73.1% have received adequate colon cancer 
screening. These rates vary dramatically between states.

The CDC defines frequent mental distress as feeling in poor mental 
health at least 14 days of the last 30. Poor mental health is closely 
tied to unhealthy behaviors. Though the elderly are less prone to mental 
distress than younger age groups, poor mental health may take a greater 
toll on older individuals. According to the CDC, older adults who 
experience frequent mental distress are less likely to lead physically 
healthy lives. Nationwide, 6.9% of adults 65 and older experience 
frequent mental distress. This share varies greatly by state from as few 
as 3.9% of seniors in Iowa to as many as 10.5% in West Virginia.

In the 25 states with the smallest shares of elderly residents reporting 
frequent mental distress, senior citizens are more likely to be 
physically active, more likely to have a healthy diet, less likely to be 
obese, and less likely to smoke than the typical elderly American.

While life expectancy was not part of our analysis, the conditions that 
lead to healthier lives for elderly Americans also appear to lead to 
longer lives. The life expectancies in the 10 least healthy states for 
retirees is below the national average of 78.5 years. Similarly, the 10 
states with the healthiest retirees have above average life expectancy.

In order to determine the states with the healthiest elderly population, 
24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the CDC’s report “The State of Aging 
and Health in America 2013.” The report, based primarily on 2010 data, 
is the most recent publication on the subject from the CDC. We ranked 
each state in 17 measures of health behaviors and outcomes among 
Americans 65 and older and averaged all 17 ranks to determine how 
healthy are senior citizens in each state. We also considered life 
expectancy by state as provided by the Organization for Economic 
Co-operation and Development. Life expectancy was not a component of the 
overall rank calculation.

These are the states with the healthiest and least healthy retirees.

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*40. Idaho*
*> Pct. 65+ w/ disability:* 40.7% (12th highest)
*> Pct. 65+ obese:* 25.4% (17th highest)
*> Flu vaccine in past year, 65+:* 60.7% (2nd lowest)
*> Life expectancy:* 78.9 years (21st highest)

Many elderly residents in Idaho are not taking certain simple steps that 
can be lifesaving. Nearly 10% of those who should be taking blood 
pressure medication do not, the second highest share in the country. 
Additionally, only 60.7% of retirement age adults in the state get a flu 
shot each year, the second smallest share of any state in the country.


*9. Washington*
*> Pct. 65+ w/ disability:* 42.7% (6th highest)
*> Pct. 65+ obese:* 23.9% (20th lowest)
*> Flu vaccine in past year, 65+:* 69.3% (16th highest)
*> Life expectancy:* 79.6 years (11th highest)

Washington’s elderly residents are more likely to take care of 
themselves physically than most older Americans. Only 23.3% of seniors 
in the state never engage in physical activity, a far smaller share than 
the 31.4% of totally sedentary Americans age 65 and older. Retirement 
age adults in Washington are also more likely to get an adequate amount 
of fruits and vegetables in their diet and are less likely to be obese 
than most older Americans. With healthier behaviors, life expectancy in 
the state is slightly more than a year longer than the 78.5 year life 
expectancy nationwide.


*1. Connecticut*
*> Pct. 65+ w/ disability:* 32.9% (2nd lowest)
*> Pct. 65+ obese:* 22.0% (7th lowest)
*> Flu vaccine in past year, 65+:* 72.4% (3rd highest)
*> Life expectancy:* 80.4 years (2nd highest)

The elderly living in Connecticut are arguably more likely to lead long, 
healthy lives than those in any other state. Connecticut also has the 
second longest life expectancy of any state, at 80.4 years, just 0.2 
years behind Washington. Also, just 32.9% of state senior citizens have 
a disability, compared to 37.9% of all elderly Americans.

It is likely the state’s 65 and older residents are relatively healthier 
because of their health habits, including taking advantage of 
preventative medicine. Connecticut senior citizens are more likely than 
their peers nationwide to get the flu vaccine, mammograms and colon 
screening.


*50. West Virginia*
*> Pct. 65+ w/ disability:* 41.8% (7th highest)
*> Pct. 65+ obese :* 25.9% (15th highest)
*> Flu vaccine in past year, 65+:* 66.4% (18th lowest)
*> Life expectancy:* 75.4 years (3rd lowest)

Based on a number of measures of health behaviors and outcomes, West 
Virginia has the least healthy retirees of any state. Physically active 
elderly adults are less likely to experience frequent physical distress, 
and in West Virginia, nearly 40% of state residents 65 and older do not 
engage in even moderate physical activity, the highest share of any 
state in the country. With low physical activity rates, retirement age 
adults in the state report an average of 6.9 physically unhealthy days a 
month, far more than the national average of 5.4 days for the age group.

Life expectancy in West Virginia is especially low at 75 years, roughly 
three years less than life expectancy nationwide.


*http://tinyurl.com/jx9g5z8
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*Ken*

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