Skip to content
Search
Search
 

Alaska Issues and Concerns: A Survey of AARP Members

by Erica L. Dinger, J.D., AARP Knowledge Management, AARP Research, November 2006

This and Related Reports

Report Home

This mail survey examines the opinions, interests and concerns of AARP Alaska members about a variety of issues, and finds that financial security, affordable health care, and factors that can affect where and how they live are foremost in their minds.

Of those surveyed...

  • 52 percent are concerned about assuring the safety of their pension benefits and retirement savings

  • 48 percent worry about being able to afford the cost of health care

  • 86 percent say making prescription drugs more affordable should be a top or high priority for AARP

  • 82 percent oppose increasing property taxes to balance the state budget, but there is support for increasing taxes on tobacco products (57%), corporate income (54%), alcohol (53%)

  • 62 percent express concern about being able to stay in their own homes as they age while 49 percent are confident they will be able to live in their current residences as long as they like

  • 83 percent say their utility bills have increased in the past year, and 47 percent have substantially lowered their home heating due to this

  • 31 percent expect that, for them to be able to continue living in them for another five years, their homes will need work including cosmetic repairs (53%), weatherization (52%) or structural repairs like roofing or plumbing (50%)

This mail survey of 925 Alaskan AARP members was conducted during July and August 2006. Further information about the survey may be obtained by contacting Erica L. Dinger, the report’s author, at 202-434-6176 or Jennifer Sauer, at 202-434-6207, both of AARP Knowledge Management. (40 pages)