Mass. ranked as healthiest state for seniors
Massachusetts is the healthiest state in the nation for older adults, according to the recently released 2016 America’s Health Rankings Senior Report.
In the fourth year of the analysis by the United Health Foundation on the health of older adults, Massachusetts rose to the top position from sixth last year. The report ranks the health of adults over the age of 65 across 35 measures.
Massachusetts scored highly due in part to reductions in rates of physical inactivity and smoking, a low rate of hip fractures, and greater availability of community support for older adults. The report also ranks Massachusetts first in the nation in two key senior health benchmarks: the percentage of adults aged 65 and older who have a dedicated health care provider, and the percentage of adults aged 65 to 75 who are actively managing their diabetes.
Additional Massachusetts-specific findings from the report include:
- In the past year, physical inactivity decreased 12 percent from 33.1 percent to 29.1 percent of adults aged 65 and older in fair or better health.
- In the past year, smoking decreased 20 percent, from 9.6 percent to 7.7 percent of adults aged 65 and older.
- In the past two years, hip fractures decreased 23 percent from 6.5 to 5.0 hospitalizations per 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries.
- In the past year, Massachusetts ranked second in a measure of community support -- spending for older adults living in poverty ($4,053 per individual over age 65 living in poverty).
- In the past year, 96.9 percent of adults aged 65 and older had a dedicated health care provider.
- In the past year, 86.2 percent of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 to 75 diagnosed with diabetes actively managed their condition.
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