Latest Study Ranks WA 3rd In Overall Well-Being For Senior Citizens

It appears there is a lot to celebrate if you're a senior citizen living in the second decade of the 21st Century in Washington State...that is, if you're looking to live a bit longer anyway.

WASHINGTON STATE RANKS HIGH FOR WELL-BEING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

Recently, the United Health Foundation released its 13th edition of the America’s Health Rankings Senior Report, which probes the well being of U.S. residents age 65 and older through 55 separate measures.

In this year's Report, the Evergreen State ranked at #3 in overall health among senior citizens, and also placed high in a variety of the Report's other categorical inclusions.
Dr. Daman Jamarai is a practitioner of internal medicine in Southern California and the Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealthcare who says the study's findings are not only great news for older people who call Washington home, but also the entire nation.

"America's Health Rankings (Senior Report) has been a leader in the analysis of public health for many years now," explains Jamarai. "The latest Report is very encouraging. It gives a good snapshot of how the health of older Americans is progressing, and there are several positives we can take from this latest study. The early death rate has shown a decrease to levels not seen since 2019. And in the area of social isolation among seniors, the Report measured levels of social connectedness and found that it has increased, while isolation has decreased. Another positive to be found in this latest edition of the Report is that there has been an increase among the providers of geriatric medicine. Meaning there are now more doctors who are specializing in caring for the elderly."

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FEWER SENIORS IN WASHINGTON STATE ARE SMOKING CIGARETTES

Another area of the Report which yielded positive returns had to do with smoking among older U.S. residents.

"Smoking rates among seniors in Washington State have gone down by 24 percent (from 2015-2023), which is very encouraging," says Dr. Jamarai. "If you look at the overall rates of smoking among seniors in the whole country since 2015, they have decreased from eight percent to six percent. This is a big positive to be sure and it speaks to all of the work that's been done regarding education through different channels such as online and with healthcare providers to get seniors involved in quitting smoking."

Dr. Jamarai adds there are other factors involved in why smoking rates have declined among seniors so dramatically - both in Washington and across the nation, over the past nine years.

"I feel we're connecting with our seniors a lot more and getting them involved, but I believe they also feel more engaged with the world themselves and feel a purpose in life, even as older Americans. I think the social isolation piece we covered really overlaps with the decrease in smoking rates too. If you're sitting at home by yourself and you're in the habit of smoking, you keep on going. But once you're engaging with the community and are feeling a purpose about it, you have a reason to be healthier and stop smoking. So I feel there's a direct correlation between the decreases we're seeing in social isolation and the decreases in smoking."

FEELINGS OF SOCIAL ISOLATION ARE DOWN AMONG WASHINGTON SENIORS

The Report's findings on downturns in feelings of social isolation among both Washington seniors and those from sea to shining sea in the U.S. are largely rooted in a growing use of technology, according to Dr. Jamarai. And she believes this trend is one that will only get better as more seniors become better connected to things like the internet.

"The presence of high-speed internet service in the households of older Americans has gone up and in Washington State alone is about 90 percent, with the rest of the nation at about 86 percent on average. This is also a very positive thing. The internet and access to internet service has changed how all of us, including seniors, perceive the world. And it offers a way for older Americans to have more engagement with the world, and that's a healthy thing in a lot of ways."

EARLY MORTALITY RATES IN WASHINGTON ARE ALSO DROPPING

As to the Report's discovery of declines in early death rates, Dr. Jamarai says this also reflects a senior population which is better informed about ways to live a longer and healthier life.

"Early death rates in the study have a lot to do with chronic disease rates within the population. Things like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease are part of this and we're seeing people starting to take better care of themselves. People are becoming more aware of how dangerous these conditions really are and hence, deaths from these kinds of chronic conditions have gone down because people are seeing their healthcare providers more often, they're eating healthier, and they're exercising. So these lifestyle modifications have changed things for the better and there's a much greater awareness about the risks of chronic disease now than there was before."

Dr. Jamarai adds that an increase in services to assist seniors is also making a difference in the positive data that's now coming to light.

MORE SOCIAL SERVICES MEANS BETTER CARE FOR WASHINGTON SENIORS

"Social services have increased for certain. If you just look at home health services by itself - that has increased across the nation, including in Washington State. I would imagine a lot this would be more state funded, but there are a lot of programs where state governments are providing funding for their low-income populations more than before."

Despite all of the positives that are reflected in this year's Report, there were a few negative notes to be found, including word that the overall rate of poverty and the instance of suicides have both increased among seniors.

"There was much to be happy about in the Report but clearly our challenges are not over when it comes to certain things. I think one particular challenge Washington State is facing is the rate of falls. This is a big problem in a lot of places in the United States, and I would encourage all seniors to talk to their doctors about any risks they might have for falling and find out more about fall prevention."

The Report also detailed the rate of drug overdose deaths among those age 65 and up have also been increasing.

To see a comprehensive rundown of the Report's findings at both the state and national levels, click here.