Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Utah residents 55 and older are feeling good about their lives, according to a new statewide survey.
The results, presented to the Utah Commission on Aging Friday, showed seniors are generally satisfied, although many remain worried they'll have enough money during their retirement years.
Of the 400 people surveyed, 87 percent reported they were either very or somewhat satisfied with their lives. An additional 62 percent said they felt optimistic about the next 10 to 15 years.
The numbers are encouraging, said Gina Coccimiglio of the CareSource Charitable Foundation, which commissioned the survey with the state Division of Aging and Adult Services.
"I think that says a lot for seniors today, at least in Utah," Coccimiglio said.
But commission member Rep. Pat Jones, D-Cottonwood Heights, worries that the rosy picture may overshadow the realities of aging.
"People are having very high expectations," Jones said. "When those things don't happen, that is when we get into the crunch."
In fact, 27 percent of survey respondents said their top concern is having enough money for retirement. Health care costs were the top concern for 11 percent.
Advocates for seniors said they're concerned that nearly one-third of those surveyed may have no one to manage their affairs should they become incapacitated.
Still, 75 percent reported a positive feeling about their overall health, with nearly a quarter rating it as "excellent." The survey found that those seniors with incomes over $75,000 were more likely to report good health than lower-income seniors.
For those Utah residents who do need additional help, however, many don't know where to turn. Twenty-six percent said they wouldn't know where to go for information about things such as medical care, financial assistance, transportation, assisted living or home health and hospice services. And 52 percent said they didn't have enough information about Medicare's new prescription drug program.
"That's a lot of people, and that's one of the policy issues that, I think, we need to be looking at," said Maureen Henry, the commission's executive director.
------
Information from: Deseret Morning News, http://www.deseretnews.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
