Arizona ranks 31st out of 50 states in health, well-being of seniors in national report
The state dropped eight spots from last year, when it was ranked 23rd in America's Health Rankings Senior Report. This year's report is based on the latest data from 2014 to 2017 that is compiled by state, federal and health agencies, along with national studies and surveys, said Dr.
"It is our goal with this report to help seniors, family caregivers and advocates better understand the specific health concerns in their own communities so we can all work together to address them," Randall said.
The rankings are based on how each state compares to national averages in 34 measurements of senior health.
Among
* No. 1 (best) in the use of hospice care.
* No. 2 for the second-lowest percentage of hospital deaths among chronically ill Medicare patients age 65 and older.
* No. 8 in prescription-drug coverage, showing 87 percent of Medicare enrollees age 65 and older have a creditable prescription-drug plan.
* No. 8 in preventable hospitalizations.
* No. 10 in nursing-home quality, with four stars and five stars for facilities.
Importance of hospice care
In ranking No. 1 in use of hospice care,
"As the report indicated, at end-of-life most people want to be in the comfort of their homes, surrounded by the people they love," Poore said. "Hospice makes that happen. I'm incredibly proud of the work being done locally and across
Poore said families are also becoming educated about Medicare hospice benefits, which cover expenses including medication, medical supplies and counseling.
In 2017, the
The No. 8 ranking in preventable hospitalizations is a success for
Regarding the No. 8 rank in prescription-drug coverage, the
The council also has volunteers and staff specialists who visit assisted-living and nursing-home residents to advocate for residents' rights, said Wingate. Routine visits to long-term care facilities to monitor the conditions and talk to residents is also carried out under safe and confidential conditions, she said.
Where
Among
* No. 45 in enrollment of poor seniors in the
* No. 41 for home-delivered meals.
* No. 47 in flu vaccination of those 65 and older.
* No. 40 for seniors having a dedicated health-care provider.
* No. 43 for seniors reporting frequent mental distress.
In response to dedicated health-care providers for older adults, the
To increase flu vaccinations, a public-awareness campaign could help, said Fain. People still need to be educated because there still is a "general fear about flu vaccines or a sense that they aren't effective," she said.
Wingate said influenza education campaigns aimed at older adults have been done in recent years, but much more health and safety information about the importance of vaccinations remains to be done.
Seniors need to understand that they "are at a higher risk of complications from flu and therefore need the highest level of protection we are able to offer," said
"Along with good hand washing and a healthy lifestyle, vaccination can prevent older adults from becoming sick with the flu or make their symptoms less severe if they do get sick."
There needs to be more funding and support services for elder programs, including food assistance for poor seniors, home-delivered meals and those experiencing mental distress, said Fain. "We don't spend nearly enough time and resources on support services for older adults," she said.
A community-needs assessment of older adults conducted by the council shows behavioral-health concerns, including depression and anxiety ranking among the top-20 concerns, Wingate said. Other concerns are social isolation and loneliness, and 48 percent of 2,269 people age 60 and older say they live alone.
The report's analysis of national and state-by-state health for seniors, including a comprehensive study of environmental and socioeconomic data to determine benchmarks and rankings, needs to be discussed by primary-care doctors in conjunction with state health officials to improve care, Randall said.
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