“Who needs theory when you have so much information?”, statistician and writer Nate Silver posed. With a recently released LeadingAge survey of older boomers – those between the ages of 60-72 – we now have information, allowing us to set aside our theories. We were curious about those who are closer to experiencing the potential need for long term services and supports and anxious to understand their thinking. What’s important to them? Where might they choose to live? From whom might they seek assistance? Who do they trust? And what worries them?
The findings are not only important but actionable. If help is needed with activities of daily living, respondents told us that what is more important than anything else is their safety, followed closely by being around family and having access to the outdoors.
Responses are, not surprisingly, consistent with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Faced with a physical disability, 60% of respondents want to live in their current home or apartment. However, 9% want to live in a place that is staffed to provide help with daily activities and 14% prefer a place that also provides health care. Does this reflect a growing awareness of the increasing options that are available in the marketplace? Perhaps it reflects an increased understanding that professional staff are an asset when faced with physical challenges? Or, do the results simply reflect a reluctance to be a burden to others? We do know that 29% of respondents said being a burden to my children and 21% said being dependent on anyone for personal help worries them most. And, if they do use paid help, 61% expressed concern over being able to afford it.
A desire to live in a place that is professionally staffed increases significantly when faced with the prospect of having dementia. 42% of older boomers indicate this would be their preference.
These survey findings tell us that, in spite of the fact that we aren’t a society that places a premium on planning, older boomers are thinking ahead. When prompted, they are imagining the possibility of having needs related to physical or cognitive challenges and have considered their options. While many do prefer to remain at home, a significant percentage anticipate moving to a more supportive environment.
What did we learn? We need to move from theory to practice in meeting the expectations expressed by boomers in this survey. This means we need to access to affordable, high-quality services and supports to meet a range of needs. We need to communicate with consumers to help them make the appropriate decisions about future living arrangements. And, we need to reinforce the value placed on personal safety to reassure older adults that they can live their later years free from the threat or fear of personal harm. Each of these is a call to action and I am confident that, armed with information, we can meet these expectations.