Ageing in place, lack of transportation and access and

ORANGE, Calif., August 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Focus on health published its 2024 Social Threats to Ageing Well in America Today’s survey examines the key social and environmental factors, known as social determinants of health, that prevent seniors in the United States from living healthier lives.

In an online survey of more than 2,000 U.S. seniors aged 65 or older Aging in the same place (69%), lack of transport and access to medical care (64%), And economic uncertainty (56%) were the three most frequently cited social barriers to their overall health.

“As an industry, we need to pay close attention to what our nation’s seniors tell us are the biggest barriers affecting their health so we can find solutions that help eliminate as many of those barriers as possible and ensure they are successful in their later years,” said Dr. John Kim, senior vice president of market management at Alignment Health and chief medical officer at Alignment Health Plan in California. “Our research to date has shown that we need to accelerate innovative partnerships for our growing member base, such as those that address food insecurity or provide home care support services.”

Highlights and key findings from the survey include:

Social threat No. 1: Aging in place
More and more seniors are choosing to live independently and for longer in their own homes. However, this also brings with it its own challenges: almost seven out of ten seniors consider aging in their own homes to be one of the biggest social obstacles to their health and well-being.

Among respondents who reported experiencing stress and anxiety in the past year, 22% cited aging in a familiar place as their No. 1 stressor or anxiety factor, while 45% ranked it among their top three stressors.

A majority of survey respondents (67%) said they would use aging support services in the next 12 months if their health insurance offered them. These services include increasing home security, personal medical alarms, home visits and non-medical companion care.

Social threat no. 2: Lack of transportation and access to health care
The inability to physically travel to and from doctor’s appointments and medical services poses a significant health risk. Nearly two-thirds of seniors cite lack of reliable transportation and access as the biggest barrier.

An even higher percentage of respondents, 71%, said they would use transportation services in the next year if their health insurance offered it. Lack of transportation and access to health care were the main reasons cited by those who did not seek health care: 64% cited this problem.

Of those who have never foregone health care, 50% said they may do so in the future due to lack of transportation and access to care.

No. 3 Social Threat: Economic Insecurity
Given that seniors are on fixed incomes and the costs of housing, healthcare and daily necessities are rising, it is not surprising that more than half of respondents (56%) cited economic uncertainty as their biggest concern, and 15% cited it as the main cause of stress or anxiety over the next 12 months.

More than 4 in 10 (44%) seniors facing economic hurdles said they were burdened by medical debt. Of those with medical debt, 59% owed an amount equivalent to one month or more of living expenses. The survey also found that 21% of seniors did not have enough money or were unsure if they had enough money to pay their medical expenses over the next year.

Other notable findings

• Lack of support (38%), mental health (33%) and loneliness (30%) were ranked as the second most important social and environmental factors that significantly impact the health and well-being of today’s seniors.
• One in five seniors also cited cultural barriers (21%) and food insecurity (18%) as obstacles to their health and well-being.
• One in four (26%) seniors admitted to missing medical care, with 13% having missed it at least once in the past year.
• The main reasons why seniors forego medical care: lack of transportation and access to medical care (64%) and economic insecurity (35%)
• Interestingly, seniors who experienced food insecurity and loneliness were more likely to live in an urban environment.
• Among the six states where additional surveys were conducted, seniors in Nevada and North Carolina appeared to be most affected by social determinants of health, reporting higher scores in all eight categories examined in the survey.¹
• And although California is home to the largest number of seniors of any U.S. state, it appears to be doing relatively well compared to the other states in which the survey was conducted. Californians over 65 were less affected by three of the eight social factors examined in this survey and were on par with seniors across the U.S. on the other five.

About 2024 Social Threats to Well Aging in America
While Alignment Health is studying the social issues affecting the health of older adults for the third year in a row, the 2024 report marks the first time the company has partnered with Ipsos, one of the world’s largest market research and polling companies. The survey was conducted as an online poll of 2,051 Americans ages 65 and older between April 30 and May 21, 2024. Additional surveys were conducted in Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina to achieve a minimum sample size of 100 per state for analysis purposes. These additional “boost” surveys were weighted to avoid overrepresentation within the overall population. The states of California, Florida, and Texas were also part of the state analysis; however, boost samples were not required in these states. Weights were applied only at the national level (individual states were not weighted separately), and findings are representative of the 65+ age group. The results at the state level reflect only the opinions of these respondents.

The full report can be found at www.alignmenthealthcare.com/survey2024.

About Alignment Health
Alignment Health is committed to a new way of delivering senior care that enables members to age gracefully and live as active a life as possible. As a consumer brand of Alignment Healthcare (NASDAQ: ALHC), Alignment Health offers more than 50 high-performing, value-based Medicare Advantage plans serving 53 counties in six states. The company partners with nationally recognized and trusted local providers to deliver coordinated care supported by its tailored care model, 24/7 concierge care team and purpose-built technology, AVA.^®. The company’s California-based team delivers high-quality, affordable care to its members every day. As the company expands its offerings and expands its national presence, Alignment maintains its core values ​​of leading with a servant heart and putting seniors first. For more information, visit alignmenthealth.com.

Media contact
Priya Shah
mPR, Inc. for Healthy Alignment
[email protected]

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¹ The 2024 Social Threats to Aging Well in America report examined eight key social determinants of health: aging in place, lack of transportation and access, economic challenges, lack of support, mental health issues, loneliness, cultural barriers and food insecurity.