American, Senior Citizens … and Feeling Better!
The third edition of the United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings® Senior Report was recently published, showing that older Americans’ health is improving.
The Report indicates positive trends nationwide for senior health, especially for measures that look at whether seniors are getting the right care in a setting of their choice.
“Progress in key metrics such as preventable hospitalizations and hospice care shows that more seniors are aging comfortably and receiving preferred types of support – a trend that reflects seniors’ well-being at each step of the aging process …” points Reed Tuckson, M.D., senior medical adviser to United Health Foundation.
That’s the good news. The not so good news, however is that Seniors are exhibiting other unhealthy behaviors and chronic conditions (some of them preventable) that could compromise their well-being and quality of life – with obesity, smoking and physical inactivity as the main culprits.
The findings showed a 4.8 percent increase in self-reported high health status and that means Seniors are reporting feeling better.
Now, if we could only get everyone to move around and stop smoking!
