Aging-Related Issues Rank Top Among Monroe County Residents

In a recent survey of Monroe County residents over the age of40, which was sponsored by St. John’s and conducted by Marketview, LLC in partnership with The Verdi Group, caring for aging seniors and associating services are recognized as important, with 57% of  respondents listing this as a top concern out of a provided list of social, economic, and health issues, including mental illness. Care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia was considered a top concern by almost half of respondents.

Along with aging being a top concern, there is a strong commitment for helping seniors to remain independent in their own homes. 87% of respondents indicated that keeping seniors living independently is very or extremely important. With that intent, respondents indicated that visiting nurse services and telehealth are the most beneficial toward this goal, with respondents over 70 especially interested in telehealth.

For seniors (or caregivers supporting seniors) contemplating a move out of their own home, the majority of respondents indicate that being unable to conduct life-supporting activities like bathing or bathroom hygiene, as well as showing signs of memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, or dementia, as reasons to move into an assisted care or the skilled care level of service.

Over 57% of respondents over the age of 40 have had one or more experiences related to long-term care services, including visiting someone in a nursing home; providing occasional care for an older family member or friend; or having a close friend or relative with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Among those, 28% have had direct experience with someone suffering from a dementia-related illness.

For those with dementia care experience, respondents were asked to identify what services would be most helpful in maximizing quality of life for the people with dementia and their caregivers. Adult day care was the most popular choice at 75% of respondents, followed by 53% selecting at-home nursing care, and 49% selecting caregiver training.