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Press Release -- 11.16.04

Colorado Seniors Are Happy and Enjoy a High Quality of Life

Denver, CO. Overall, Colorado seniors report a high quality of life and are happy. One hundred percent of the individuals in a recent survey indicate "they take responsibility for their own actions" and 98% indicate they are "happy."

The same survey found that life is "very good" for 44% and "good" for another 45% of seniors. Only three percent of the individuals report their lives are "bad" or "very bad." Seniors are also very active, with 63% of the older adults in our state are involved in care giving, employment and/or volunteering each week.

According to the Colorado Office of Local Affairs, there are 558,918 older adults age 60 and over living in Colorado. A recent study by the Colorado Department of Human Services Aging and Adult Services surveyed 8,300 Colorado seniors to determine their strengths and needs.

Individuals living in the mountains report the highest quality of life, while those living on the Eastern Plains enjoy the lowest quality of life. Minority individuals, renters, and those living alone report a lower quality of life.

What do seniors do? Just like everyone else, most are very involved with family and friends. 90% of older adults visit with family and/or friends in person or on the phone for at least one hour each week, or they do house work or home maintenance.

Colorado seniors are also involved in the community. 25% of the seniors work at least part-time contributing $2.9 billion in paid wages to the Colorado economy. In addition, the value of seniors' unpaid work is $1.6 billion a year with 42% volunteering an average of three hours per week; or providing help to friends or relatives for an average of 2.5 hours per week.

Overall 106,194 seniors care for others spending an average of 9 to 16 hours per week. Not surprising, 45% care for a spouse. Meanwhile, 17% care for a grandchild, 16% care for a parent, and 15% care for other family members. During the past 12 months, care giving was not a problem for most people. Although the federal government has developed the National Family Caregiver Support Program, 61% of seniors do not feel much need for care giving. Of those who want help with care giving, 6% want respite care, 5% want informal advice, and 4% want formal advice.

During the last year, health was at least a "minor" problem for 45% of older adults. Other health problems facing seniors are the high cost of medications (28%), financial problems (24%) and depression (22%). Approximately 20% of individuals are experiencing problems with walking, bathing, or getting in and out of a chair; feeling lonely, sad and isolated; having too few activities or feeling bored; or getting necessary health care.

About half of the people with health problems need help with interior and exterior repairs (20%); doing heavy housework like moving furniture and washing windows (20%); and doing yard work and snow shoveling (21%). Almost all seniors are able to use the telephone, dress themselves, eat and use the toilet.

Nine in ten seniors are eating two or meals every day, while 10% could not afford the kind of food they wanted to eat in the past 30 days. Of those 4% report they are not able to afford enough food to eat. Seniors like everyone else use cars as the major mode of transportation with 95% driving or riding in a car.

Only two percent of the population is determined to be at risk of institutionalization. This assumption is based on individuals who are unable to do one or more activities of daily living or who need help with activities of daily living.

Some people see seniors using the resources of the society. However, Colorado seniors provide major contributions to the world of work and leisure. Quality of life and happiness does continue into the later years.

A copy of the full report is available at www.cdhs.state.co.us/ADRS/AAS/index1.html. Reports for the different regions of the state are available, as well as some metropolitan areas. Call 303-333-3482 for details.