2010 Survey of AARP Vermont Members Age 50+ on Health and Livable Community Issues

AARP’s Vermont Office, in partnership with the Vermont Department of Aging and Independent Living (DAIL), commissioned this survey to explore the views of its members age 50+ on health care and livable communities issues. The data from this survey will play an important role in DAIL’s state service planning.

Key findings reveal that:

• Over one-fourth of respondents (27%) believe that ensuring affordable, high-quality long-term care (LTC) is the most important issue for state government to address, followed by having access to and being able to afford health care (13%), and lowering or eliminating taxes (11%).
• More than half of the respondents (58%) are expecting to use Medicaid or Medicare to finance a portion of their LTC needs, even though Medicare does not cover any LTC expenses and Medicaid only covers nursing home care for those who meet financial eligibility requirements.
• Large numbers of respondents report that their needs are met within their communities. A great majority say they have sufficient access to a hospital (95%), live in close proximity to family and friends (91%), and are close to a pharmacy (89%). More than half (63%) feel they have sufficient access to senior transportation. However, only 47% say there is enough affordable housing in their communities.

Five hundred AARP members in Vermont age 50 and older completed the telephone survey on January 7-8, 2010. Survey responses were weighted to reflect the actual age distribution for AARP membership in Vermont as released by AARP on January 12, 2010. Further information may be obtained by contacting Aisha Bonner at 202-434-3531. (14 pages)