new york voices of 50+ - aarp · s c q1 thi ki b t h t’ t i lif i ld lik t thi k b t th ki d f...

20112011

Voices of 50+ New York:Dreams & ChallengesDreams & Challenges

Executive Summary

AARP has a strong commitment to help improve the lives of the 50+ population. As part of the Association’s continuous communication with its members and all 50+ Americans, AARP commissioned an innovative set of surveys designed to better gather information on the needsset of surveys designed to better gather information on the needs, interests and concerns of 50+ Americans both at the national and state level.

Th d di it di l t l h f 29 000 d lt 50These random digit dial telephone surveys of over 29,000 adults age 50+ across the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands were fielded between January 2nd and January 31st. These telephone interviews also included additional list-assisted samples of p pAfrican-American and Hispanic 50+ adults.

The data presented here is based on a sample of 404 50+ New York state adults and has a sampling error of 5%adults and has a sampling error of 5%.

2Voices of 50+ New York: Dreams & Challenges

Executive Summary

The survey finds that:

• About five in ten New York adults 50+ say that health care issues are the top problem or challenge facing mid-life and older adults in their state. Over a third cite economic issues as the largest challengeOver a third cite economic issues as the largest challenge.

• At a more personal level, adults 50+ say vacation and travel and hobbies are what they personally dream about doing next in their lives.

• Health and financial security are very important in the lives of adults 50+. More than nine in ten say staying healthy, having adequate health insurance, staying mentally sharp, Social Security, and Medicare are extremely or very important to them.

• Adults 50+ do not have everything they need in order to accomplish their most important goals: About a third have all they need to stay sharp, stay healthy, and maintain adequate health insurance.


Executive Summary

• Three in five (61%) New York adults 50+ are not confident that their children’s generation will be better for their children than it has been for them.

• Worries about health issues illustrate the importance of finances About• Worries about health issues illustrate the importance of finances. About seven in ten worry about having to pay more for health care, financial devastation due to health costs, being unable to pay for a major illness, and staying healthy.

• About 90 percent of adults 50+ worry about one or more financial issues. Public assistance benefits and maintaining finances and lifestyle in retirement are worries for two-thirds.

• In the current economy four in ten (41%) adults 50+ say they have had at• In the current economy, four in ten (41%) adults 50+ say they have had at least some difficulty paying their monthly electric utility bill.


Executive Summary

• If the economy doesn’t improve over the next 12 months, 58 percent of working New York adults age 50+ say they will delay retirement and work longer.

• Among those who would delay retirement and work longer due to a poor• Among those who would delay retirement and work longer due to a poor economy, four in ten would delay retirement for five or more years, and one in six (16%) say they plan to never retire.

• About four in ten New York adults 50+ do not have access to a bank, ,pharmacy, public transportation, grocery store, or park within walking distance.

• Only three in ten say they feel extremely or very informed about long-term care services available in their communitycare services available in their community.


Dreams for the 50+

41%Vacation and travel

Top Dreams (n=404) • Adults 50+ say they want to spend time traveling (41%) and pursuing their hobbies and interests (21%)

21%

41%

Hobbies and interests

Vacation and travel interests (21%).

• Reinvention is what they dream about. Adults 50+ want to get a better job or take their

6%

7%

Kids, grandkids, family & friends

Career, job, and work to get a better job or take their current career to a new level (7%), forge a new path for themselves (5%), and earn money to take care of needs

5%

5%

Finances

Reinventing yourselfmoney to take care of needs and wants (5%).

• Other dreams mentioned by fewer than five percent are

0% 20% 40% 60%

fewer than five percent are around marriage, faith, and volunteering.

S C Q1 Thi ki b t h t’ t i lif I ld lik t thi k b t th ki d f thi d b t d i th ld b thi h


Source: Core Q1. Thinking about what’s next in your life, I would like you to think about the kinds of things you dream about doing—these could be things you have always wanted to do, but never got around to, or things you have done in the past and want to continue doing. What would you consider to be the one thing that you would most like to do? (Open ended/Unaided response)

Top Challenge Facing the 50+

Top Challenge (n=404) • Health care issues include the cost of health care and staying healthy.

46%Health care issues • Economic issues include unemployment and having enough money to retire.

35%Economic issues• Other social issues vary

widely. They include topics like how to spend time, transportation/getting around,

13%Other social issues

transportation/getting around, family values, politics and government.

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%


Source: Core Q2. What do you believe is the SINGLE most important problem or challenge facing mid life and older Americans as they get older? (Open ended/Unaided response)

Issues of Importance to the 50+ TodayIssues of Importance and Extent to Which Needs Are Met for the 50+ Today (n=404)

33%95%

97%

Ad t h lth i

Staying healthy

Issues of Importance and Extent to Which Needs Are Met for the 50+ Today (n=404)

40%

37%

94%

94%

95%

R i i S i l S it h

Staying mentally sharp

Adequate health insurance coverage

25%

29%

89%

93%

94%

Receiving Medicare when needed

Receiving Social Security when needed

25%

36%

60%

78%

89%

Fi di th b t d l d

Protecting against consumer fraud

Spending time w/family&friends

19%60%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Finding the best deals and discounts

Extremely/Very Important Everything They Need


Source: Core 3a-q. How important is each of the following in your life right now? Core 4a-h: Do you think you currently have everything you need in regards to [specific items of extreme/very importance]? See attached annotated survey for a list of items. Base for Everything They Need is those who said issue was extremely/very important.

50+ Generational Concerns

Confidence That Your Children’s Generation Will Be Better Than It Has Been for You (n=404)

Not confident, 61%

Confident, 29%

Not sure/ Refused, 10%


Source: 50+2. Do you feel confident or not confident that life for your children’s generation will be better than it has been for you?

50+ Health Care Concerns

W b t H lth I ( 404)

44%

54%

32%

24%

Staying healthy

Having to pay more for your health care

Worry about Health Issues (n=404)

42%

42%

44%

28%

21%

25%

U bl t f f j ill i j

Losing health care insurance

Financial devastation due to health costs

38%

38%

42%

28%

27%

28%

Unable to afford health care services

Unable to afford prescription drugs

Unable to pay for for a major illness or injury

29%

33%

36%

19%

30%

30%

Finding a health care provider that accepts youri

Staying mentally sharp

Quality of health care services getting worse

20%

29%

20%

19%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Finding a health care provider located near you

insurance

Extremely/Very Worried Somewhat Worried


Extremely/Very Worried Somewhat WorriedSource: HC9. I’m going to read to you a list of health issues that people sometimes worry about. Please tell me how worried you are about each of the following. How worried are you about [INSERT, READ AND RANDOMIZE EACH ITEMS A THROUGH K BELOW]? Are you extremely worried, very worried, somewhat worried, not very worried, or not at all worried?

50+ Long-Term Care ConcernsFeel Informed about Long Term Care Services Provided atFeel Informed about Long-Term Care Services Provided at

Home and in Community Settings (n=404)

Very informed, 18%

Somewhat informed, 43%

Extremely informed, 12%

Not very informed, 18%Not at all

informed, 9%

Not sure/ Refused, <1%


Source: HLTC4. How informed would you say you are about long-term care services provided at home and in community settings? Are you extremely informed, very informed, somewhat informed, not very informed or not at all informed?

50+ Financial Concerns

Very difficult, 11% Somewhat difficult, 23%

Difficulty Paying Electric Utility Bill (n=404)

Extremely difficult, 7%

,

Not very difficult,

Not sure/ Refused, 1%

y ,20%

Not at all difficult, 37%


Source: EUTIL3. Thinking of your current household finances, how difficult is it for you these days to pay your electric bill? Is it extremely difficult, very difficult, somewhat difficult, not very difficult, or not at all difficult?

50+ Financial Concerns

36% 29%Public assistance benefits

Worry about Financial Issues (n=404)

34%

36%

36%

29%

Maintaining finances and lifestyle in retirement

Public assistance benefits

29%

32%

32%

32%

Providing financial support to family members

Financial planning and saving for the future

25% 26%

Access to work retirement

Managing debt

family members

24% 19%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Access to work retirement savings plans

Extremely/Very Worried Somewhat Worried


Extremely/Very Worried Somewhat WorriedSource: ECON4. I’m going to read to you a list of financial issues that people sometimes worry about. Please tell me how worried you are about each of the following. How worried are you about [INSERT, READ AND RANDOMIZE ITEMS A THROUGH F BELOW]? Are you extremely worried, very worried, somewhat worried, not very worried, or not at all worried?

50+ Work Concerns

58 t f ki Length of Planned Delay to• 58 percent of working adults 50+ say if the economy does not improve over the next 12 th th ill

Up to five years,

More than five years,

Length of Planned Delay to Retirement (n=84)

12 months they will delay complete retirement and work longer.

U t f

19%five years,

8%

Never retire

• Nearly four in ten would delay retirement for up to fi d

Up to four years, 4%

retire, 16%

five years or more and work longer. One in six say they would never retire.

Up to one

Up to three

Not sure, 8%

S WORK2 If th d NOT i th t 12 th ill d l l t ti t d k l ?

Up to one year, 2%Up to two

years, 12%

years, 20%


Source: WORK2. If the economy does NOT improve over the next 12 months, will you delay complete retirement and work longer?Source: WORK3. How much longer do you plan to delay complete retirement and work longer? Do you plan to delay up to one year, up to two years, up to three years, up to four years, up to five years, more than five years or do you plan to never retire? Base: Respondents who are employed.

50+ Transportation Concerns

W lk bilit f H t C it L ti ( 404)

30% 69%Your doctor’s office

Walkability from Home to Community Locations (n=404)

54%

27%

45%

67%

A bank or financial services center

Your place of work, if employed

60%

57%

39%

42%

P bli t t ti

A pharmacy

60%

60%

39%

39%

A grocery store

Public transportation

65% 34%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

A park or recreation area

Yes No


Yes NoSource: TRANS4. Can you safely walk from your home to [INSERT, READ AND RANDOMIZE ITEMS A THROUGH G BELOW]?

50+ Survey Sample Demographics (n=404)

41%50-59

AGE11%Hispanic/ Latino

ETHNICITY

21%

38%

75+

60-74

<1%14%

78%

Native AmericanBlackWhiteRACE

56%

44%

Female

Male

GENDER

5%1%1%<1%

OtherAsian

Pacific IslanderNative American

26%Yes

DISABILITY19%

28%30K-50K

<30KHOUSEHOLD INCOME

74%

26%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

No

Yes

16%17%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

75K+50K-<75K


50+ Survey Sample Demographics (n=404)

50%

36%Retired

Employed

EMPLOYED

21%43%

RepublicanDemocrat

PARTY AFFILIATION

8%

4%

50%

Other

Unemployed

Retired

11%18%

POLITICAL VIEWS

OtherIndependent

p

28%

33%P t HS 2

HS or less

EDUCATION

32%25%28%

ConservativeModerate

LiberalPOLITICAL VIEWS

4%

15%

28%

Post grad no degree

4 yr. degree

Post HS or 2 yr. …

41%

32%

YesAARP MEMBERSHIP

Conservative

17%0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Graduate degree 58%0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

No


CONTACT

For more information, please contact:

Chaunda Ball AARP New York Associate State Director-CommunicationsChaunda Ball, AARP New York Associate State Director-Communications

(212) 407-3732, [email protected]

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We p p p gproduce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 35.1 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's millions of members and Americans 50+; AARP VIVA, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin IslandsIslands.

Copyright © 2011 AARP Research & Strategic Analysis, 601 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20049

Reprinting with Permission


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