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P a g e
According to
The United States of Aging
, most seniors express little concern about the status
of their health today.
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At the same time, many are not investing in activities that are important
to help them manage their health for the long term.
60% of seniors say their health has been normal in the past year
84% of seniors say they have at least one chronic health condition and 44% have at least
three chronic health conditions
A majority (84%) of seniors say it is not difficult to perform regular activities independently
Most seniors (83%) with one or more chronic health conditions are confident they can
manage their health conditions so as to reduce their need to see a doctor
More than half (51%) of all seniors have not set any specific goals to manage their health in
the past 12 months
81% of seniors did not receive any help to develop an action plan to manage their health in
the past 12 months. The opportunities for health improvement are even greater among low-
income seniors
75% of low-income seniors with one or more chronic health conditions cite at least one
barrier toward managing their health, such as lack of energy or money, compared with 53%
of seniors nationally, and 65% have at least two chronic health conditions
The health care system is complex and at times very difficult to navigate. Care is often
fragmented across multiple providers. It is often the responsibility of the patient to act as a
care coordinator to explain to various medical personnel their issues, list of medications, and
treatment plans. With the normal aging process, the decreasing ability to communicate
complex ideas in a fragmented arena leads to miscommunication and misunderstanding. This
can lead to poor medical care. This is particularly true with the transition from hospital/rehab
facility to home. At the time of discharge, the patient and their caregivers are focused on
getting out of the facility, not necessarily on what is being told to them about changes in
medication, need for follow up care, or warning signs to watch for. National statistics show that
an average 20% of patients are readmitted within 30 days. Good quality care transition
programs can reduce this readmission rate by up to 20%.
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Alzheimer's is officially the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and the fifth
leading cause of death for those aged 65 and older. It kills more than prostate cancer and
breast cancer combined. Women are at the epicenter of the Alzheimer’s crisis. Nearly two-
thirds of those with Alzheimer’s disease – 3.2 million – are women. Women in their 60s are
about two times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease in the rest of their lives than they
are to develop breast cancer. More than 3 in 5 unpaid Alzheimer’s caregivers are women –
and there are 2.5 more women than men who provide on-duty care 24-hours a day for
someone with Alzheimer’s. Among women caregivers who also work, 20% have gone from
working full time to part time because of their caregiving duties.
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